


Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers

by theartificialluci



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Backstory, F/F, Part 1 Of The 'Switched' Collection, Slow burn Thasmin, Twelve and Yaz team up, Twelve is Soft for his bro Yaz, Twelve reveals Thirteen's dark side, Whump, Yaz Gets Development, twelve is his own wing man
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2019-10-21 17:56:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 84,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17647214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theartificialluci/pseuds/theartificialluci
Summary: An injured Yasmin finds the Doctor looking after her. It wasn’t a particularly unusual situation for her to find herself in; except, this time, she found an entirely different Doctor waiting for her to wake up.Yasmin is thrown into the darkness of the Doctor’s past as she tries to remember what danger she left her own Doctor in, and how to get back to her.





	1. Forget Me Not

The setting sun created glowing hues of pink and orange, tempering the night sky as if it were liquid amber. The night slowly took over and three pale moons began to ascend into the sky. Birds, a whole different species to the ones on Earth, had stopped singing, hiding away in nests to avoid the dangers of the nocturnal predators. The only sounds that dared interrupt the peaceful night were the unsteady footsteps of Yasmin Khan. 

Her feet stomped into the red-dirt ground, kicking up black stones as she ran. Any instinct she’d had to turn around, or to run back and help had been drowned out by her deafening fear. Yasmin took gulping breaths as she began to slow down, unable to keep running for much longer. 

She’d lost her leather jacket a while back, she wasn’t sure when, as the intense suns had beaten down on her. It was somewhere in the dirt now, abandoned by her in a hurry. Now, she was left in just a t-shirt that exposed her burning arms and she had never felt more vulnerable. 

She kept her eyes trained down to her feet, being careful not to trip, and she had been concentrating so hard that she’d almost missed what she had been looking for. Her mind had been racing with only one instruction; find the TARDIS and save them all. Yasmin could see the blue box blurring into the horizon in front of her, and she knew she couldn’t stop running until she reached it. 

“Finally,” Yasmin croaked, only to herself, as the TARDIS grew closer and closer. 

She’d struggled to remember where they’d landed the TARDIS earlier that day. Or had it been yesterday? Their footprints had since been lost, though Yasmin was glad that she didn’t have to see the three other sets of footprints. She didn’t want to be reminded that she was now on her own. 

When the TARDIS became only a few feet ahead of her, she reached out to touch the panels of the ship. They were silvered by the heavy moonlight above them and Yasmin couldn’t help but reach out a shaking, bruised hand to stroke them. 

Instead of finding the wooden panel, though, the door threw itself open. It seemed more hostile than usual, considering the TARDIS had a soft spot for Yasmin, and she wondered if the ship knew she’d left the others behind. Yasmin was barely able to keep herself upright at this point and not having the door for support meant that she couldn’t stay on her feet. Instead, her knees buckled and she fell through the now open doors. 

She collapsed against the cold, metal floor of the console room, her legs still on the other side. Yasmin didn’t even care about the ruby-coloured dirt that was staining her jeans, since her clothes were already torn and ripped. Instead, she focused on the dizzying relief that came with lying down. 

Her mind screamed at her as her eyes fluttered closed, telling her that she came to the TARDIS for a reason. She propped herself up on her elbows, trying to stand up, but couldn’t find the strength. Yasmin let out several ragged breaths, feeling the lure of sleep too much for her tired limbs. 

Yasmin had walked too far in the planet’s desert, one she couldn’t even remember the name of in her current delirium, and the heat from the sky above felt like weights being placed on her back and shoulders as she struggled not to succumb to exhaustion. 

“Sorry, Doctor,” she whispered hoarsely as her arms gave out and she was once again pressed against the floor of the TARDIS. 

Yasmin’s eyes closed slowly, like they were trying to protest, but eventually lost the battle. A voice called out to her in the blackness and she pried one eye open. She knew the voice didn’t belong to any one she knew, since she was painfully alone, and decided it must be a sort of hallucination. She figured maybe the cruel mind tricks were revenge for the pounding headache she’d developed from running under the hot suns. 

“Hello?” came the strong, confused voice once again.

She frowned. It didn’t sound like it was coming from her head, and it certainly didn’t sound like Ryan, or Graham, or the Doctor. It echoed around the console room in a loud boom, but Yasmin couldn’t even bring herself to feel scared. 

Yasmin didn’t have the energy to confront it, nor beg for it to leave her alone, so she tried to block it out. She grew frustrated with the voice as it interrupted her unconsciousness. She managed to keep her eyes open for a moment longer, just long enough to see large, shiny black boots step into her darkening vision. 

 

***

 

Yasmin could still feel the cool of metal on her cheek when she came to. It was a comfort compared to the ache and pain in the rest of her body, and it definitely felt better than the burning sun. Her eyes stung when she attempted to open them; the harsh of the artificial light almost as uncomfortable as the sunlight from outside.

When the shapes around her had begun to swim back into focus, she was relieved to find that she’d made it into the TARDIS. She noticed that she wasn’t hanging out of the doors anymore, but was curled up by the console, basking in its yellow light. 

She laid her hands flat on the metal floor, using any strength she’d regained from sleep to turn herself over. Her legs wouldn’t cooperate and held her down like weights. Yasmin did manage to turn around eventually and began to scout for something to pull herself up with. 

Instead, she found she was face to face with the bottom of a short staircase. Yasmin frowned drowsily, knowing that there were no stairs in her TARDIS. Then, she managed to raise her head, and found a man sitting on the steps, watching her, wearing the same black boots she’d seen before she’d lost consciousness. 

“I’ve already scanned you. You’re human, from Sheffield. I guess the next question is, what are you doing on Solitudinem? Wouldn’t exactly call it a holiday destination,” asked the man coolly, his Scottish accent strong. 

Yasmin was shocked to find she hadn’t been hallucinating and stared up in surprise at the man who leered over her. When she didn’t answer, he continued his interrogation. 

“Better question, what were you doing with this? I know sonic technology when I see it, and it looks like a cheap copy of mine,” said the man with narrowed eyes, holding up the sonic screwdriver he had found in Yasmin’s pocket. 

“Doctor’s,” Yasmin rasped. 

The man still looked cautious but reached down to pass Yasmin a bottle of water. She didn’t pause to wonder about his intentions as the water became too appealing and she grateful took it. She could barely hold herself up long enough to sip it, but she finished half the bottle in desperate gulps. 

Yasmin took the time to look at whoever had rescued her. He looked human and was an older man, with scruffy white hair and stern eyes. The warm yellow light of the console reflected into his eyes, but they were still cold as they observed her. He wore a pristine buttoned up white shirt and a smart black coat. He certainly didn’t look like he belonged on the planet, though she supposed she didn’t either. 

“Who are you?” asked Yasmin once the water had soothed her throat. 

“You’ve just collapsed into my ship, and you’ve said my name countless times, so I think you should introduce yourself first,” shrugged the man. 

Yasmin let out a whine of frustration, “This isn’t the TARDIS, then?” 

She should’ve known when she looked around. She hadn’t made it back to the ship after all and was just as trapped as she had been on the planet. Yasmin took a shuddery breath, fighting back angry tears. 

“On the contrary, this is the TARDIS.” 

“No, it’s not. I’ve seen the TARDIS, and it doesn’t look like this,” argued Yasmin. 

“I think I would know my own ship.” 

“Maybe there’s two?” asked Yasmin. 

The man scoffed, “There’s only one TARDIS. You must be from my future, or maybe my past, though I never forget a face.” 

“So, you’re a Time Lord too, if you have your own TARDIS?” asked Yasmin, taking the time to scan the room. It was vaguely familiar, with the same soothing hum coming from the machine, but it definitely wasn’t her Doctor’s ship. Her heart sank as she realised how lost she really was. 

The man raised an eyebrow, “You don’t listen, do you? I’m not just a Time Lord, whoever you travel with, we’re the same Time Lord.” 

“Oh God, ‘Half an hour ago I was a white-haired Scotsman’…she meant you,” muttered Yasmin as she remembered, her eyes widening as she met the bluish-grey eyes of the man above her. 

He shrugged, “That sounds about right. You’re from my near future then? Probably definitely shouldn’t be here. You should leave.” 

Yasmin scrambled in a panic, not yet strong enough to pull herself to her feet. The man watched her in concern as she backed away from the TARDIS doors, shuffling so her back was pressed against the console. 

“Please-please don’t send me back out there!” begged Yasmin. 

The man crouched down beside Yasmin. He reached out a hand as if to calm her but hesitated and immediately put it back at his side. He waited for her to relax, though she still shook terribly. 

“I don’t know who you travel with, but I don’t dump humans on random alien planets. You’re safe with me, for now. I guess I should introduce myself, then. I’m the Doctor. You travel with future me so I won’t expect a ‘Doctor who?’ but I’d appreciate it anyway,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin didn’t humour him, “I’m Yasmin Khan, or Yaz to my friends.” 

The Doctor held out a hand to help her to her feet. They stood up together, nearly all of Yasmin’s weight being supported by him. She gripped his arm with her other hand as she tried to regain the balance she’d lost when she’d first stumbled into the TARDIS. 

“I’ll stick to Yasmin, then.” 

Yasmin frowned in offence, but carried on, “So…the Doctor, or my Doctor, was you before I met her?” 

The Doctor cringed, “Spoilers. I guess she hasn’t explained regeneration to you, then? Brave of her to give her humans a heart attack when she inevitably kills herself.” 

“Don’t talk about her like that,” spat Yasmin, still in stubborn disbelief that this man was the same person she called her friend. 

The Doctor shrugged, “You can complain about it when you get back to her, I’m sure she’s still a fan of the self-loathing. Now, why don’t you tell me where you last saw…me, and we can have you dropped off?” 

In her wonder, she’d forgotten the pressing matter at hand. Yasmin wondered how long she’d been unconscious for, and how much danger the others were now in, thanks to her. 

“That’s the thing…I can’t remember. All I can remember is that they’re in danger, and I had to get back to our TARDIS. Something went wrong, but I don’t know what,” answered Yasmin, trying not to let her anxiety drown her. 

The Doctor frowned, “I didn’t detect any signs of a head injury. You Pudding Brains never make it easy, do you?” 

Yasmin glared daggers at the Doctor before storming towards the TARDIS doors. She couldn’t stand to look at this angry version of her friend, and she only grew more frustrated as she tried to understand how they were the same person. 

“Ah, ah, ah. You’re not going anywhere until we get you fixed up. I can’t return you if you aren’t in one piece. You can have your tantrum later,” argued the Doctor. 

“I’ll stay, if you tell me what the Hell’s going on,” agreed Yasmin, walking hesitantly back over to the Doctor. 

“I forgot how exhausting it was travelling with humans. Alright, that way to the Medical Bay, and then I’ll give you the talk.” 

The Doctor ushered Yasmin up a second set of stairs and up to a metal door with ‘Med-Bay’ engraved into it. He tried to remain detached from her, likely scared that she would be naïve enough to reveal his future, but allowed her to hold onto his arm as she struggled to walk. 

The Med-Bay was almost identical to the one in her own TARDIS, and Yasmin wondered if the ship had designed it that way to ease her nerves. She’d found herself in the room many times before; once when Graham had banged his head on one of the pillars, again when Ryan had twisted his ankle running and when Yasmin had broken her wrist on an adventure. They’d all even had to pile in together when the Doctor had insisted on building an anti-gravity room. 

Except, this room didn’t have the Doctor’s assorted tins of custard creams and jammy dodgers, and it didn’t have her worried, fretting Doctor. 

The new, or Yasmin supposed it was old, Doctor set her down on the examination table, barking instructions for her to sit still. She wondered where her own Doctor’s bedside manners had come from. 

“You were unconscious for about an hour, it was really boring. I fixed your arms while you were out, since the burns would only get worse. I’m glad you turned out to be nice, or that would’ve been such a waste of medicine,” said the Doctor as he gathered equipment. 

“Oh, thanks,” said Yasmin, rolling her eyes. 

“I didn’t move you either, in case you wanted to kill me or something. You did seem to like my floor, though,” added the Doctor. 

“I think I just needed a good sleep,” said Yasmin, trying to act tough. Truth was, she felt weak, and almost every part of her ached or stung. She felt like her new friend wouldn’t be the most sympathetic, anyway. 

“I did notice a nasty cut on your shoulder, so roll up your sleeve,” ordered the Doctor. 

Yasmin did as she was asked and noticed the man had been right. She did have a cut that reached from the edge of her collarbone to the humerus. It had only recently stopped bleeding, as the blood around it was only just drying, leaving trails of blood running down her arm. 

“This won’t hurt a bit,” said the Doctor, roughly taking an antiseptic wipe to the young woman’s skin to clear up the blood. 

“Ouch,” hissed Yasmin when it reached the cut that she previously hadn’t felt was there. Now she was reminded more than ever what she had been through that day. 

“I lied,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“How are you my Doctor?” Yasmin asked herself, muttering just loud enough for the Doctor to hear. He finished bandaging up her arm before looking at her. 

“Your Doctor,” the Doctor emphasised, “is me. Whoever you think she is, she isn’t. The sooner you learn that there is so much more to your friend than you think, the safer you’ll be. Not safer from her, mind, but safer from all the lies.” 

“She doesn’t lie,” muttered Yasmin. 

“Wrong,” barked the Doctor, “the Doctor always lies.” 

Yasmin didn’t argue further, she just slumped stubbornly into the chair. The Doctor scanned her again with his own sonic screwdriver, his thick eyebrows knitted together. He found blossoming purple bruises and broken dirtied nails but was silently relieved she was otherwise alright. 

“Keep drinking water, you’re pretty dehydrated, and be careful on that bruised ankle but you’re going to be fine,” reassured the Doctor. 

Yasmin flashed him a weak smile, “Thank you.” 

“Do you really not remember what happened to you? Would be good to know what you were up against,” asked the Doctor. 

Yasmin shook her head, “All I remember is the Doctor telling me I had to get back to the TARDIS. I think she had some kind of plan. Then I was running through the desert…and I found your TARDIS.” 

“Sounds like something exciting happened to you,” mumbled the Doctor, observing Yasmin as subtly as he could. 

She noticed a mirror behind her and shuffled in front of it. Her face was speckled with red dirt, her eyes bloodshot and her once carefully braided hair looked like she’d been running through the woods for days. Yasmin thought she would’ve preferred that to the desert anyway. 

“Don’t worry, put a bit of makeup on and you’ll look…fine,” said the Doctor with a distracted wave. 

“I already have makeup on,” said Yasmin, noticing the majority of her eyeliner had managed to stay in place. 

“Ah.” 

Yasmin shook her head as to not get angry with him, as she’d learned it wasn’t worth it, “So, you said you had some explaining to do?” 

“I guess you’ll figure it out someday, might as well be now. When you die, you die. Your family will bury you, or disintegrate you, and then move on, eventually. But Time Lords, we die, then we change and some new man…or woman now I guess, just walks away. One day your Doctor will change her face and become an entirely different person, and you’ll be left wondering if you really ever knew her at all.” 

“So…you die and then become my Doctor? Like, you just transform?” asked Yasmin with a tilted head. 

“Well, it’s a little more complicated than that but as far as human minds go, I guess it’s a pretty good summary,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin paled, “She never told us any of that.” 

“I guess I get cowardly in my old age. What do you mean by ‘us’?” asked the Doctor. 

“Oh, we travel with my friend Ryan, and his grandad Graham. I-I’m pretty sure they’re both with the Doctor now.” 

“Right, well, three needles in a haystack are easier to find then one. Three humans and a Time Lord, your adventures must be like herding kittens,” said the Doctor with a raised eyebrow. 

He helped Yasmin off the table, noticing she seemed to walk with a slight limp, before he offered her some aspirin. She was more grateful for the water she gulped down with it, but she also enjoyed the relief from the headache that had been growing. 

Yasmin laughed sadly, “Yeah, that’s what Graham used to say. The Doctor was…is… much more of a kitten than a herder, it was usually his job.” 

“Glad one of you has some sense,” teased the Doctor. 

“Excuse me, I have lots of sense, I’m a police officer back on Earth,” said Yasmin, crossing her arms across her chest. 

“Now that explains a lot,” said the Doctor, raising one of his impressive eyebrows. 

Before Yasmin could argue, the Doctor sighed, “Alright, then. There’s only one way to find your friends. It’s time for you and me to go on an adventure.” 

He walked over to the door and held it open for Yasmin. She ducked under his arm and waited for him in the corridor. She noticed he tucked some more water, and strange pills that definitely weren’t from Earth, into his pockets before joining her. 

“Hang on,” said Yasmin, “sounds like you’re coming with me?” 

“If I don’t come with you, I might never meet you in the future. Something tells me I’ll be pretty mad at myself,” said the Doctor. 

“Yeah, I’d be pretty mad at you too,” agreed Yasmin. 

“Better hurry up, then,” said the Doctor, gesturing down the corridor and to the stairs. She followed him down them, steadier on her feet now. 

Yasmin was clearly nervous about stepping back outside. She dreaded to think about what would’ve happened to her if she’d not found the other TARDIS, and the thought of exposing herself to whatever’s out there again made her shudder. The Doctor realised she was terrified of whatever she couldn’t remember. He was, honestly, extremely interested to find out what Yasmin had forgotten, and why. 

The Doctor shrugged off his coat and draped it around Yasmin’s shoulders. It was such a Doctor-ish gesture that Yasmin felt her heart flutter as it so often did around her own version of the Time Lord. The coat smelled like old books, chimney smoke and cinnamon, which eased Yasmin from her distrust of the Time Lord. He looked embarrassed when she smiled, genuinely, at him for the first time. 

The coat drowned her, reaching past her knees, but she felt strangely comforted by it. She slid her arms into the sleeves, grateful for the soft, silky fabric. 

“Can’t have you burning your arms again, human skin is so sensitive,” said the Doctor as he walked towards the TARDIS doors. 

“You know, you’re more like my Doctor than I want to admit,” smiled Yasmin, chuckling lightly when the Doctor blushed. 

“I think you’ll find that I came first,” scoffed the Doctor. 

“Don’t ruin it.” 

Yasmin was much slower to step out of the TARDIS doors, but the Doctor was more than happy to take the lead. He scanned it quickly with his sonic before stepping one heavy boot into the red ground. He quickly glanced around, making sure nothing had been waiting for Yasmin to come out from her hiding spot before stepping aside for her. 

Yasmin’s own dirty, scruffy boots hit the ground and the TARDIS doors closed behind then. She stuck close to the Doctor, as she often did with her own, still nervous. 

“I’m ready,” announced Yasmin, mostly to herself. She was already breaking into a sweat underneath the Doctor’s coat, but it felt like a comfort blanket around her shoulders. She tugged it tighter around her body. 

“Just don’t do whatever you did last time, and you’ll be fine,” shrugged the Doctor, taking large strides. 

Yasmin jogged to catch up, “Great, thanks.” 

Their surroundings were almost entirely engulfed in darkness but were brightly lit by the powerful three moons above them. The sky held more stars than Yasmin had ever seen; some glowing colours she didn’t even know existed, but only the Doctor’s stern cough for her attention brought her back to the reality around her.


	2. Creatures in the Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm shocked at all the amazing comments I've had so far, thank you so much! You've made me so excited to get on with this story. I hope you enjoy the rest, there's still plenty to go :)

Yasmin had long since worn holes into the bottom of her boots, and she was unable to shift the dirt and sand from her socks as she walked. The Doctor had become increasingly frustrated by the woman’s slow pace as she kicked out her feet every few steps, trying to make herself comfortable. 

“Are you going to do that the whole journey?” The Doctor finally asked, turning around accusingly to face Yasmin. 

“Oh, you’d rather I talked to you, then? Seems like you got tired of that after the first conversation, when you yelled at me to shut up,” scoffed Yasmin. 

The Doctor sighed, “I’m not much of a talker, Yasmin.” 

“Yeah,” grumbled Yasmin, “that’s something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.” 

She managed to catch up with the Doctor after a few tiring strides, after she learned that he wouldn’t be slowing down for her. The strain of walking only hurt her ankle more but she pretended not to notice, despite the sharp inhale each time the injured foot hit the ground. 

They hadn’t been walking for long, but the Doctor was clearly a much better navigator than Yasmin had been. He pushed through the night’s strong winds and the pull of sand beneath his feet with much more ease than Yasmin had previously; his long slender legs working in his favour. She worried that he’d never want to stop, even though she was already slowing down. 

“Don’t tell me you’re getting tired already,” scoffed the Doctor, as if he could read her mind. 

Yasmin flushed, “Of course not, it’s just hard to keep going when we aren’t getting anywhere.” 

“Patience, Pudding Brain, we’re getting there. Trust me,” said the Doctor. 

“Stop calling me that!” 

The Doctor had been right though; they were getting somewhere. The desert had begun to sprout thin layers of trees, similar to the ones on Earth, and small streams of transparent water formed at their feet. Yasmin stepped through the water, wanting to clean off her shoes as best as she could. She stepped one foot in but before the other could join it, the Doctor put a hand across her body to stop her. 

“You said it yourself; you can’t remember what’s dangerous. Best to avoid anything new until you remember,” advised the Doctor, scanning the water to be sure. 

The results came back as a non-threat, though the water was far from drinkable. Yasmin looked down at the water on her boot and shivered. She’d forgotten that it wasn’t just herself and the Doctor. Something out there had been trying to kill her, and it could be anywhere. 

The Doctor frowned, “Don’t you think it’s…odd that the planet just suddenly becomes habitable. There’s miles and miles of harsh desert and suddenly, a nice peaceful woodland. Look! There’s even crops growing over there. From what I remember, nowhere on this planet should be nice.” 

“You think it’s a trap, or are monsters just getting into agriculture?” asked Yasmin. 

“Are you telling me you wouldn’t consider farming monsters a trap too?” asked the Doctor. 

“Well, if they’re farming then they’re probably not eating us then, right? I mean, everyone needs a hobby, maybe it’s between farming and eating people?” Yasmin rambled about hypotheticals until the Doctor walked away, completely ignoring everything she’d said.

It was stupid, but she wasn’t used to the Doctor not listening to her. It made Yasmin wonder what had happened to him in the space between his regeneration and her Doctor’s. Was he near regeneration now? Would her Doctor remember her from the past?

“Yasmin, stop day-dreaming and come here!” called the Doctor, his sonic screwdriver buried into the dirt the crops had been planted in. 

“Is it a trap?” asked Yasmin nervously as she settled beside him. 

“Almost definitely,” muttered the Doctor. 

“You know, I’ve seen alien mud-zombies before, could be the same thing?” offered Yasmin. 

“Yasmin, if you keep spoiling things, I’m going to let the alien mud-zombies eat you,” hissed the Doctor. 

Yasmin folded her arms across her chest, “So I’m right, then?” 

“Almost definitely not.” 

Rolling her eyes, Yasmin stepped back and let the Doctor finish his scan of the soil. She noticed he was much more calculating with his methods, as she remembered the time her Doctor had eaten dirt. She thought it reflected in his personality, too, as she watched his cold, clever eyes move back and forth as he searched the sonic’s readings. 

The Doctor brought up his sonic screwdriver from the dirt, wiping it clean on his trousers. Now that he was kneeling in the soil, the state of them couldn’t get much worse. He turned his head slightly in Yasmin’s direction, and she quickly turned so it didn’t look like she was studying him. He brought the sonic screwdriver to her face, and she tried to bat it away. 

“What are you doing?” asked Yasmin. 

“One thing doesn’t sit right with me. Say whatever you saw before you started running had decided to wipe your memory, why not just kill you? Or keep you captured? What would they gain from letting you go and find the TARDIS?” said the Doctor, waving his sonic screwdriver as he spoke. 

“Well, I have no idea. I can’t remember, can I?” said Yasmin. 

The Doctor waved his hand, “Yeah, yeah, I know that. But doesn’t it seem…strange to you?” 

Yasmin watched the Doctor’s eyes fall from her down to the crops. Her eyebrows knitted together as she came to his harsh realisation. 

“You think I’m the trap, don’t you? What, you think some aliens or monsters put me here for you to find? Kind of arrogant, don’t you think-”

Yasmin only grew angrier when the Doctor shushed her. 

“No, I wasn’t going to say that I thought you were a trap. But you’ve done a fine job making me suspicious now,” said the Doctor. 

“So, what then?” 

“I don’t think you lost your memory because of whatever monster or alien you think you encountered. I think someone took your memory to protect you, and not to hurt you,” said the Doctor, almost nose to nose with Yasmin, an eerie smile forming on his lips. 

“That would make sense I guess…but who?” asked Yasmin. 

“Ah, hah! That’s the exciting bit. Don’t you happen to know a certain touch telepath who could potentially wipe your mind if she wanted to?” grinned the Doctor. 

Yasmin paused for a moment. 

“The Doctor? But…why would she? That doesn’t make any sense…why would she tell me to save her and then erase my memory?” 

“I think that’s what we have to find out, Yasmin. Maybe, she remembered being here from when she was me, and knew you’d find me. Or maybe she’s just an idiot. Either way, since we’re the same person, I should be able to reverse whatever kind of mental block she put on your tiny mind,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin straightened up, “Well go on, then! It might help us find her.” 

“Yasmin…what if you see something you don’t want to? Obviously, she did it for a reason. Are you sure you’re ready to see whatever she’s hidden from you?” 

“If it finds her, then I don’t care,” shrugged Yasmin stubbornly. 

The Doctor gave her a knowing nod, before continuing with his warning, “I’ll do this for you, but you should know it’s probably going to hurt.” 

Yasmin smiled weakly, “No lying this time, then?” 

The Doctor offered her a curt smile back, “Probably best to be prepared for this one.” 

She saw sympathy flash across his face, and it made her nervous. She couldn’t change her mind, though, not when it could be her only chance of finding out what happened to her, and to the friends she’d lost. 

The Doctor shifted her, hands on each arm though careful to avoid her injured shoulder, so she was sat in front of him. He kept a distance between them but waited for her permission as he reached his hands out. She nodded with a gulp as he put his hands on her temples and closed his eyes. 

Watching him closely, she waited for pain. She figured it would feel like someone was breaking into her head, but she felt nothing. Instead, and watched as the Doctor slowly opened his eyes, peering over her shoulder. 

“That definitely didn’t feel like it worked,” said Yasmin, disappointed. 

“Shush,” hissed the Doctor, still looking past her. 

“Can you hurry up; I can’t keep my mind open forever.” 

“We’re being watched, Yasmin, so unless you want to find out what’s stalking us I’d suggest you shut up!” 

His voice had been raised enough to spook whatever he had been looking at, as they both stopped glaring at each other when they heard a sinister rustle in the bushes around them. The whispering of the trees seemed to grow louder as the rustling grew closer. 

“Do we run?” whispered Yasmin. 

A growl, somewhere between animal and human, sounded from the distance and made the pair jump. The Doctor quickly turned his head to face the source of the noise. All they both saw was a large, twisted shadow. 

“Yeah, running sounds good,” shouted the Doctor, pulling her to her feet. 

They took off in the opposite direction to the growling creature, the Doctor tugging Yasmin along by the hand. As he pulled her forward, Yasmin tried to ignore the strain it caused on her injured shoulder. She tried to focus on running instead of the burning pain of the cut, though the monster behind them wasn’t the most calming distraction. 

She could still hear the growling as they ran. The growling mingled with the sound of heavy clawed feet chasing them. The sharp claws scratched stones as the creature ran, creating a horrific screech. The sound rang through Yasmin’s ears like nails on a chalkboard and she winced. 

“Hurry up,” ordered the Doctor. 

“I’m going as fast as I can!” grumbled Yasmin. 

“Grow some more leg and keep up!” 

Yasmin would’ve scoffed at him if she’d been able to concentrate on anything other than not tripping over her own feet. 

The trees, once peaceful, were now just obstacles in their way. The creature seemed much better adapted to the environment than Yasmin and the Doctor, who occasionally tripped on a twig or root in their ungraceful sprint. 

Yasmin nearly cried when she heard the creature was still following them. She didn’t stand a chance outrunning it, even if the Doctor could, and didn’t have the energy to be clever. She glanced back, wondering how much time she had. 

She caught a glimpse of what was behind them. She didn’t know what to expect, considering there wasn’t supposed to be anything on this planet according to the Doctor, but she’d thought she’d see an alien or monster. Instead, the creature looked human; with blush-red skin and eyes of onyx. The dark, cold eyes stopped Yasmin in her tracks and she stared into them, frozen in fear. 

“Oh no you don’t! Nothing to see here,” the Doctor pulled Yasmin along, the sharp jolt to her arm bringing her back to reality. 

“What was that?” breathed Yasmin. 

“Here’s some helpful life advice; don’t worry about it until you know for a fact it isn’t about to kill you,” said the Doctor, still running as fast as he was able to, while also having to pull Yasmin along. 

The image of the alien she’d encountered was all she could see as she stumbled along the woodlands. She was barely holding herself up, as the Doctor was doing most of that for her, which was slowing them down dramatically. He pulled her around a large tree trunk, grumbling into the air. 

“You have to make this difficult don’t you,” he sighed between breaths. 

Yasmin didn’t respond, she just kept her eyes to her feet to make sure she dodged any stone, roots or branches below her. She relied almost completely on the Doctor to guide her around the trees, much to his annoyance. 

“Did you hear that?” asked Yasmin, when she heard a loud rustle in the bushes. 

“It’s just your imagination,” reassured the Doctor, though he’d perked up as if he’d heard it as well. 

The rustle came again, and Yasmin began to panic. The Doctor spun in a circle, listening out for it. Neither of them could see it, but they could both hear it and, worse, feel it. Yasmin felt like a mouse being followed by a cat, one that enjoyed the chase. They were vulnerable on an alien planet, though she supposed she was lucky she had one Doctor, even if he wasn’t hers. 

“Oh God, it’s back,” cried Yasmin, feeling its black eyes burning into her. 

The Doctor had already noticed, however, since the creature had stalked up behind him. He brought out his sonic screwdriver discreetly, much subtler than his future incarnation, to threaten the creature back. The creature ignored the threat and reached out, gripping violently onto the Doctor’s wrist. 

Yasmin watched in horror as the Doctor wrestled the creature, who had latched itself to his arm. Its clawed hand wrapped around his wrist, tight enough to snap bone. 

Yasmin grabbed onto the Doctor’s other arm, joining in the struggle with the creature. It hissed at her, trying to shoo her away, and she noticed its tongue was forked like a reptile. She used any strength she had to pull the Doctor free from the creature. Eventually, after the Doctor dug his boots into the mud to keep himself steady, the creature released him and disappeared back into the woodland. 

“You okay?” asked Yasmin, still in shock at how close the creature had come to them. 

“Course I am,” shrugged the Doctor after checking his wrist. It was only reddened slightly from pressure; otherwise unharmed.

They watched the creature scatter into the distance, giving up on any idea it had of a hunt. Their surroundings were eerily quiet without the stampede of their footsteps on the ground, and the creature behind them. 

“I think we’re safe now,” panted the Doctor. 

She thought they’d never be able to stop running. The second that the creature disappeared, the Doctor scanned their surroundings to make sure it was safe. Yasmin didn’t let herself stop running until the Doctor did, finally relaxing. 

They were out of the woodland now, having come out the other side, and were now back in a desert. The small streams from the forest carried on into the sand, though Yasmin was painfully aware she still shouldn’t drink it. The small pebbles, ones that had become trapped in her shoes, were now replaced by jagged rocks in the distance. 

Yasmin collapsed onto one of the larger rocks, propping up her foot beside her. She seemed to make the dull pain worse each time she walked on it but running through the woods reminded her that merely hours before, she had been passed out on the floor of the Doctor's ship. She tried to ignore it as she pulled the Doctor’s coat closer around her body to hide how it trembled. 

She caught her breath back in desperate pants, wondering if she’d ever get used to the constant walking and running. The Doctor seemed to notice that she was struggling too. 

“Are you okay?” asked the Doctor, though Yasmin suspected he wouldn’t listen to her answer. She merely grunted in response. 

The Doctor eventually sat down on the large ebony rock that Yasmin was perched on. She assumed even his legs had to start to ache eventually. He began to draw patterns into the dirt below them. It was a language, Yasmin recognised, from her own TARDIS. She couldn’t read it, but half of the instructions on the ships were written in it, frustrating the amateur pilots to no end. 

“I think you should have this, might come in handy,” said the Doctor, reaching in his pocket. 

Gently, he retrieved her Doctor’s hand-made sonic screwdriver. She could tell the Doctor was turning his nose up at the device, but she didn’t have the heart to defend it. Her Doctor’s sonic screwdriver was just like its maker; an improvisation and a marvel. He held it out for her in his two hands, gesturing with a nod that she should take it. Yasmin thanked him quietly as she took it, feeling a comforting familiarity as she held it. She felt a pang of sadness when she imagined the Doctor without it. 

“Are you thinking of your friends?” asked the Doctor quietly.

“It’s hard not to. I wish I knew where they were, or what happened to them. Do you know what it’s like to forget everything?” asked Yasmin. 

“More than you think, actually,” sighed the Doctor, his eyes still glued to the pattern he was drawing. 

Yasmin took a moment to study the Doctor. She’d been doing it since she’d met him earlier, working out what quirks he shared with her Doctor. She wondered how his stern, wrinkled face had become her soft youthful one. Knowing he was being watched, the corner of his mouth curved up in a grimace, almost like Yasmin’s Doctor, though she was often more prone to a smile. 

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked. 

“Even if I said no, it wouldn’t stop you,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“My Doctor can’t stand being alone. She always has us on the TARDIS, she’d have more if she could. I can’t ever imagine her not having someone to travel with.” 

The Doctor tilted his head at her, “That’s a statement, not a question.” 

Yasmin rolled her eyes, “My question is; how come when I found you, you were all alone?” 

“No offence, Yasmin Khan, but if I wasn’t much of a talker last night, what makes you think anything’s changed today?” asked the Doctor. 

“I just thought-” began Yasmin. 

The Doctor cut her off, “Ask yourself this; is there a reason your Doctor chooses to travel with, not one, but three humans? Ask yourself about the odds she thinks she’s cheating.” 

“You talk about her like you know her.” 

“I do know her, Yasmin, she’s me,” said the Doctor. He felt Yasmin’s legs against his, how she pressed against him, and jumped to his feet to continue pacing around. 

Yasmin bit her lips, watching as the Doctor paced around her at a dizzying speed. His boots stomped through the beautiful patterns and swirls he’d made in the ground. She watched as the dirt was kicked up around him, sticking to the base of his shoes. 

“Are you ready to move?” asked the Doctor gruffly when he noticed that she’d been watching him. 

She nodded soundlessly and sprang to her feet. The Doctor licked one of his fingers and then brought it to his eye-level. Yasmin watched him in amusement as he felt around for the direction he was looking for. He turned away from Yasmin and began to walk again, not looking back to see if she was following. She did notice, however, that he had completely slowed down to accommodate for her. 

Yasmin couldn’t help but smile as she caught up with him, thumbing the silver casing of her Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, which she held protectively in her small hand. She looked at the soft amber glow that came from its centre and then up to the amber sunrise above them, wondering if her friends were looking at it too.


	3. A Rock and A Hard Place

Yasmin was growing very tired of walking. She hoped, eventually, they’d wander into something more exciting than miles of dirt and sand. She’d never been the one to complain about a boring planet, that was usually Ryan, but she couldn’t help it now. The Doctor kicked sand at her when she voiced her annoyance. 

The planet felt strangely empty; with not a single tree since the woodland they’d ran from. The sky had developed a handful of clouds, though they did nothing to slow the heat of the suns. Yasmin couldn’t get used to the nothingness as she walked silently beside the Doctor. She perked up when she saw various black dots in the distance and, when her vision cleared, she realised something was in the sand. 

“What’s that?” asked Yasmin, putting a hand above her eyes so she could see clearer. 

“They have rocks on Earth, Yasmin.” 

Yasmin shot a glance at the Doctor, “You can’t let me have fun, can you?” 

“Come on, let’s go see some rocks, I know you humans love that,” said the Doctor, humouring her. 

The Doctor walked through the sand, pushing ahead, until the rocks grew closer. They were blocking their path, so the Doctor mumbled about how to navigate it. He approached it like a maze, some rocks too tall for even him to see over, but in the end his plan had just been to keep walking forward. 

The tall jagged rocks that stuck out of the sand and the dirt were a welcome change from the barren surroundings. The Doctor was less than interested in them, and after a scan he decided to carry on their walk as fast as he could. Yasmin wondered, as he disappeared around the rocks ahead of her, if he thought they were vulnerable. 

“Doctor!” shouted Yasmin once she had completely lost sight of him. 

He didn’t respond so she rolled her eyes, wondering if he’d come back for her if she walked slow enough. Instead, she took the time to look at the rocks. Most were a smooth black; reflecting in the abundance of sunlight, but others were shades of grey and white. They looked pretty against the red ground, and it reminded Yasmin that she really was on an alien planet. 

Yasmin ran her hand along the sides of the rocks, feeling their cold surface. It looked almost like a bigger, brighter version of the Stonehenge, which she had visited once before on a Geography trip. It seemed to go on for acres, like a graveyard. Yasmin shivered, but froze when she heard a scratching sound behind her. 

She’d seen it behind her before. It had taken her a while to figure out what the shadow was, as she was too afraid to turn around, but she couldn’t work out what to do. She’d lost sight of the Doctor a while ago and knew shouting to him would only put her in more danger. 

Instead, she walked more briskly, trying to lose the creature as she weaved between the tall rocks. She thought she heard something around the other side of the rock she was hiding behind. Yasmin wondered if she could run, but they’d tried it before and she knew she couldn’t do it alone. Plus, she would have to warn the Doctor. 

Yasmin gasped in surprise when the creature she’d been watching in the corner of her eye had crept forward, close enough to touch her. When it did reach a hand out towards her, she let out a short, angry shout and grabbed its wrist. Self-defence was deep in her muscle memory and she had no challenge taking a hold of its wrists and pining them behind its back. 

In her desperate fight, she hadn’t factored in her opponent’s size as he untangled himself from her hold. Yasmin flinched, knowing full well it had the opportunity to attack her, even kill her, but it didn’t. She hadn’t even heard the Doctor come running over, shouting her name. 

“Yasmin, calm down!” said the Doctor, grabbing her by her flailing arms. She kicked about in his arms, wondering which police tactics would work on an alien, but found that there was nothing to defend against. The creature wasn’t attacking them. 

“What’s going on?” asked Yasmin as the Doctor let go of her. 

“I don’t know which police school taught you that you could fight an alien twice your size, but maybe get your money back.” 

“Weird, they didn’t cover that.” 

The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the alien in front of them. It was watching them with black eyes, head shifting between them as if trying to work out the strange interaction. 

“Why did one of you attack us in the woods before? And why aren’t you?” asked the Doctor, waving his sonic screwdriver around. 

“Because you are Them,” answered the creature, with a voice distinctly human. 

“What’s Them?” asked the Doctor. 

“The Creatures from Before,” said the creature, looking in curiosity at the device in the Doctor’s hand. 

“Right, that doesn’t really help, but thanks,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“Come, we will keep you safe, but you must leave at Third Moon,” said the creature. 

The creature turned away from them and began walking into the distance, expecting them for follow. The Doctor didn’t hesitate and walked behind the creature, seemingly in a happy mood as he hummed. Yasmin was more hesitant, not yet willing to trust the creatures who had attacked them just hours before. 

“What’s your name?” The Doctor called over to the creature. 

“Beda,” answered the creature. 

“I’m the Doctor, and this is Yasmin.” 

“Hi,” said Yasmin, as politely as she could. 

“Come on, don’t be slow in front of our new friend,” said the Doctor, encouraging Yasmin to walk beside him. 

“You trust it? Just like that?” asked Yasmin. 

“Why wouldn’t we? Got nothing better to do.” 

“Fine, but it’s on you if anything happens. One question, though, how come they speak English?” asked Yasmin. 

“They don’t. You’re speaking whatever language they are. Presumably Solitudi, considering they seem to be civilians. Does your Doctor not tell you anything, or are you just a terrible listener?” 

Yasmin ignored him but fell into step beside him, watching Beda ahead navigate its path through the desert. The Doctor was doing the same, watching their surroundings carefully. She wondered what he was checking for, if he believed that the creatures they had encountered were friendly. 

“Where do you think we’re going?” she asked. 

“Who knows? Maybe somewhere nice, or maybe the whole thing’s a trap. Exciting, isn’t it?” beamed the Doctor. 

“Oh yeah, great.” 

The Doctor skipped ahead, “Oh come on, don’t be like that. The sun’s shining, there’s been worse days to be caught in a trap.” 

Yasmin shook her head, “What is it about danger that makes you so happy? Should I be worried?”

“Yeah, probably. Now hurry up!” 

The Doctor broke into a run to catch up with the creature, who was much faster than them. Yasmin was slower, with her worsening limp, but managed to join him eventually. Beda was much better suited to the environment, and barely even struggled against strong winds and deep sands. There was a tall hill ahead, and the creature stepped over it as if it were a puddle. 

It took much longer for the pair, with the Doctor holding Yasmin by her elbows when she found it hard to balance. She wasn’t feeling the burning pain of the suns as she had earlier, but the weight and warmth of the jacket meant she was getting tired quicker. Yasmin was jealous that the Doctor was coping as if he couldn’t even feel the sunlight beating down on them. 

“I thought this was a flat desert,” breathed Yasmin. 

The Doctor chuckled, “Lucky for you, it is. I scanned this place ages ago. So, what does that mean?” 

Yasmin frowned, “That your sonic screwdriver doesn’t do too well in the heat?” 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “Nope. Means that what we’re standing on was made by the Solitudins. I think we’re about to find out what’s going on.” 

The Doctor had been right. Once they reached the top of the hill, Yasmin found the creature paused, waiting for them. The red hill surrounded a valley, steps carved into the side of it. Beda stood at the top of the steps, instructing them to be careful before stepping down. 

“Wow,” breathed Yasmin. 

The steps led down to a sandy village; with small mud houses and planted trees. Small flower beds of desert flowers and cacti were arranged in pretty designs around the houses below them. For a planet that scared Yasmin as much as it did, she thought it was beautiful. 

“See, now you’re getting into it,” said the Doctor as he took off down the steps, ignoring the creature’s cautions. 

Yasmin let Beda go before her and walked down the hill last. Her heart fluttered with anxiety when she noticed that there was no one outside, no one curious to see who was coming down the steps. It made her wonder if she was walking into a trap after all. The thought didn’t even seem to have crossed the Doctor’s mind, as he was all too wrapped up in the adventure. 

“I love what you’ve done with the place,” said the Doctor once they’d come to the bottom of the steps. Beda dipped its head in awkward thanks. 

“So where is everyone, or is this an ambush?” Yasmin asked, turning her attention to the creature. Beda looked flustered. 

“We do not harm in here,” it answered, eyes set on Yasmin. 

“She was just joking,” the Doctor attempted to reassure, “bit of Earth humour for you.” 

Yasmin was distracted as she surveyed the village for people. She couldn’t even see a bird, or bug in sight. Her eyebrows knitted together in frustration. 

“What’s with you?” asked the Doctor, noticing her frown. 

“I don’t get why one of these aliens would attack us in the woods, and the rest would accept us with open arms. And why was that one outside of the valley? It doesn’t make sense.” 

“Why does your planet have murderers?” retaliated the Doctor. 

Yasmin sighed, “I guess that’s fair.” 

“You learn, Yasmin, that not everything in the universe is setting a trap. Sure, the universe itself likes to mess with you, but its inhabitants are often just looking for peace. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll find peace, when you stop picking fights.” 

“It’s called being careful,” scoffed Yasmin. 

“It’s called being a cop; going in guns blazing. Are human teenagers allowed to carry guns?” asked the Doctor. 

“I’m not a teenager, and no, no I can’t carry guns.”

“Good. I don’t like them.” 

Yasmin smiled fondly, “Yeah, I had a feeling you might say that.” 

“I will let the others know you are no threat,” offered Beda, before disappearing through the doors of one of the mud houses. 

“Ready?” asked the Doctor upon hearing voices in the distance. 

“As I’ll ever be,” shrugged Yasmin. 

Moments later, a series of head, some hostile and some excited, peered out of the doors and windows of houses. They all looked the same as the creatures from before; with red skin and deep black eyes. Their hands were also clawed, she noticed, like the creature from the woods, but somehow seemed less threatening. They just looked like people adapted to their planet, she thought, which eased her slightly. 

Some came out to greet them and the Doctor reached out his hand for them to shake, but they only flinched away. 

“Them are here,” said one of them, in a more than accusatory tone. 

“They mean no harm. They just need shelter from the outside,” spoke up Beda, who had helped them before. 

Yasmin looked to the Doctor, as if silently asking permission to question what they needed shelter from, but he shushed her. She folded her arms across her chest pointedly. 

“Will they bring more trouble here?” asked one of the creatures from the back of the gathering crowd. 

“What do you mean more trouble?” asked the Doctor. 

“You are not the first Them we have seen,” said Beda.

“I feel like now’s a good time to ask what a Them is. And how many of them…us…have you seen?” asked the Doctor. 

Beda was the one to speak up, “We evolved from your Earth humans and adapted to our planet over thousands of years. It has been many centuries since we have seen any of your kind here. One of our guards reporting a sighting, though, beyond the valley of four Them.” 

“It could’ve been you and the others, before you lost your memory. Sounds like you lot had an adventure,” said the Doctor to Yasmin, excited at the revelation. 

The creatures exchanged a glance. 

“I will show you where you can stay. Someone will show you out once night has passed. Please, try not to wander around too late,” said Beda.

“Thanks, Beda,” said Yasmin, relieved to be getting away from all the watchful eyes around them. That, and she was exhausted. She knew she couldn’t sleep, though, as questions raced around her head. Had she really need here before?

Beda led them down a street of mud houses, lined by vibrant flowers. The houses themselves looked like little huts, with holes for doors and windows. She was grateful that they had rooves though, made from dried sticks. 

“Where did you come from?” asked Beda as they walked. 

“Oh,” said the Doctor, kicking red dirt with his boots, “I come from no-where, and she can’t remember where she came from. It’s a bit like the blind leading the blind.” 

“Did anyone get a good glance at the ‘Them’ you saw?” asked Yasmin. 

“I’m unsure. No one leaves their houses, not late at night, so no one would’ve gotten close. If they ventured out into the desert, they wouldn’t have gotten far,” said Beda. 

The rest of its sentence was left in the air, but Yasmin knew what Beda meant. If the people they had seen were herself, Graham, Ryan and the Doctor, then something must’ve happened to them nearby. She wondered if any of the Solitudins had seen what had gone on beyond the valley. 

“This one’s empty, you can stay here. Sleep well, I hope you find the answers you are looking for,” said Beda, gesturing to a house pretty separate from the others. 

“Homey. Thank you,” said the Doctor. 

Beda watched them walk into the mud house, the Doctor having to duck, before leaving to re-join the other creatures. Things fell silent when it left them, only the distant chatter from the aliens echoing towards them. 

“And you thought this was going to be a trap,” scoffed the Doctor. 

Yasmin rolled her eyes, “Come on, let’s go check out our hotel for the night.” 

The house was modest; with only two rooms separated by a mud wall. Neither had any furniture, or at least nothing Yasmin had seen before, though one was a bathroom, and the other a bedroom. She turned up her nose as she imagined herself sleeping on the cold, rough ground as she had been forced to before. 

“Doesn’t look like we’ll be getting much sleep,” mused the Doctor. 

“It’s better than the desert, at least this sand and dirt has a roof,” shrugged Yasmin. 

“There you go; silver lining.” 

He paced around the house once, checking it over, before making his way into the bedroom, which was essentially just dirt surrounded by four walls. His heavy footsteps left prints into their floor. The dirt didn’t seem to bother him as he flopped down onto it, resting his long legs. Yasmin sat down beside him. 

“You still got the other sonic?” he asked, taking his own out of his pocket. 

“Of course I do.” 

Yasmin dug around in the pockets of the Doctor’s coat and handed it to him, an unasked question on her lips. The Doctor brought the second sonic close to his face, examining it. The device beeped and whirred in his hands. 

The Doctor frowned, looking down at the sonic screwdrivers. Yasmin peered over to it but found she couldn’t make sense of the reading. Judging by the Doctor’s face, however, she could tell he knew what it meant. 

“What were you scanning for?” she asked. 

“Ah…about that, just a quick safety scan.” 

Yasmin looked up in outrage, “Weren’t you calling me paranoid less than an hour ago?” 

“Yeah, yeah. Notice how I didn’t attack anyone, though.” 

“So, what did you find? Was I right?” asked Yasmin. 

“Wouldn’t go that far. I did find something interesting, though. I connected my sonic with your Doctor’s, to see if I could find any traces of ‘Them’. The sonics found traces of Earth in the village. Specifically, Sheffield,” said the Doctor, his eyebrows furrowed. 

“What does that mean?” Yasmin asked quietly. 

“It means that, not only have the Solitudins seen you all before, but you were in the village before. You, your friends and the other me.” 

Yasmin looked at the Doctor in confusion, “What? That means they all lied to us. Do you think they’re hiding something from us?” 

The Doctor sighed, “I think there’s definitely something they’re not telling us. I guess we’ll find out in the morning. Try not to worry about it now.” 

“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one that can’t remember being here before,” argued Yasmin. 

“At least you can’t remember the bad bits,” said the Doctor, poking Yasmin in the head with his finger. 

Yasmin jumped to her feet. Suddenly the mud house had begun to feel claustrophobic, and she felt as though she was trapped. A million thoughts rushed around her head at a dizzying speed. 

“Yasmin, please sit down,” said the Doctor, who looked like he was watching a tennis match as she paced around, trying to shake awake her numb legs. 

“No, I need to think,” she muttered. 

“What part of sitting down prevents you from thinking? Or are humans programmed to only use their brains when they’re walking?” asked the Doctor. 

Yasmin rolled her eyes, hiding a smile that grew fonder with time, but perched beside the Doctor. She hugged her knees to her chest, resting her head on them. She wasn’t particularly happy with their accommodation for the night, but at least it was cooler than the desert, and cleaner. 

“It’s just like an alien Travelodge,” shrugged the Doctor, trying hard to distract her. 

Yasmin chuckled, “Aren’t they meant to be at least four stars? This is three at most.” 

“What do you mean, we’ve got a floor, mud walls, plus no one is trying to kill us. That definitely qualifies for full stars.” 

Yasmin laughed softly. She pulled off the Doctor’s coat and draped it over her body as a blanket. She thought about offering it back to the Doctor, but she’d grown to find it a comfort, and she needed all the comfort she could get. It reminded her that she wasn’t alone anymore, and that she was close to the Doctor, even if it wasn’t the right one. Though she was beginning to realise that Yasmin contemplated letting the Doctor enjoy his peace but, instead, she spoke up. 

“I think you should try and undo my mental block. I-I just really need to know what I’m forgetting,” said Yasmin. 

The Doctor sighed, “Yasmin, you’re so tired, humans need to rest. If I try and do it now, you’ll probably die or something, and is that really what you want?” 

“You’ll try though, won’t you?” 

He paused for a moment but nodded. The Doctor looked relieved that he was finally free from the conversation but Yasmin couldn’t help but start another. 

“Doctor, in the future, you talk and talk but you never say anything. How come you don’t tell me things?” 

“Maybe you just don’t understand,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“Ha, ha. Seriously, though. Come on,” encouraged Yasmin. 

“Alright, fine. Sometimes, if you throw your fears out into the universe, it answers. I haven’t always done right by the universe, and it likes to remind me. Use your ignorance, Yasmin, or the universe might take advantage of you,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin nodded slowly, finding the Doctor’s eyes, “Can you tell me something? Just…anything.” 

The Doctor scoffed, but there was a sparkle in his eyes, “You never listen. Alright, here’s a story for you. Once, I organised a heist of the most dangerous bank in the cosmos. You’ve never seen a team up like it; a shapeshifter, a robot hacker, Clara and a Time Lord. We didn’t end up stealing anything, but I’m pretty sure it’d work if we tried it again. Maybe I’ll call you up next time.” 

Yasmin smiled, enjoying the childish grin he wore, but couldn’t keep her curiosity down, “Who’s Clara?” 

The smile on his face immediately fell. His eyes lost contact with hers as he bowed his head, trying to hide the sternness that so quickly replaced the grin. It was an expression Yasmin had recognised many times before. She’d seen it on Ryan’s face when Graham would speak of Grace, and she’d even seen it on her own grandmother’s whenever she saw the broken watch that sat on her granddaughter’s bedside table. 

“I think you need some sleep. I’ll watch over you; try and keep out the bed bugs,” said the Doctor, his voice quieter than before. 

Yasmin leaned her head back against the wall, “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be. Good night, Yasmin.” 

“Night,” said Yasmin. She pulled up the coat so it covered her shoulders, growing cold with the sudden absence of a sun. Her eyes fluttered shut, though it was a struggle to keep them closed when she felt the Doctor staring at her. She settled down, slumping against the dirty wall. Eventually, his steady breathing and the sound of the alien crickets outside lured her to sleep. 

At some point in the night, Yasmin had been woken by a sound in the distance. She blinked her eyes open slowly, sleepily trying to adjust to the darkness around her. Yasmin panicked when she noticed her head had fallen onto the Doctor’s shoulder. She didn’t move it, though, when she noticed the Doctor’s head was against the wall, facing her, and he was lightly snoring. Smiling to herself, thinking about how she’d tease him in the morning, she let sleep claim her once again.


	4. Our Fragile Minds

Yasmin’s feverish night, interrupted by crickets and worried dreams, finally ended when she pried her eyes open. It was the first night sleep she’d had under a roof in a while, but she’d still been too suspicious to sleep properly. Still, the rest she’d had was welcome. Her eyes drifted over to the hole in the wall, which she figured she should’ve called a window, and found that there was still darkness on the other side. 

She lifted her head from the Doctor’s shoulder and frowned at the window. The night sky showed no signs of the suns beginning to rise and the stars still shone bright above the valley. Yasmin wondered how long she’d even slept for.

Yasmin tried to close her eyes again, to not waste the opportunity of a comfortable sleep, but the pull of the stars was too strong. She stood up, quietly, leaving the Doctor to frown as he dreamt. She paused for a moment to look at him, so disturbed in his sleep, but turned her attention back to the night.

Yasmin stood in the mud doorway, leaning against it. She wondered what could be so dangerous about the night here, when it was so beautiful? The stars formed patterns in the sky, ones Yasmin traced with her finger, and they glowed an orange hue. She found it strangely calming, considering her concerns about the village they were in. 

She perked up when she heard a noise in the distance. It sounded like a voice, coming from the steps they’d ventured down during the day. The voice sounded human, though carried loudly towards her, and she wondered what inhabitant of the village would be brave enough to be outside at night, when staying inside seemed almost like a law to be abided by. Yasmin contemplated, for a moment, that if none of the creatures would go outside, maybe it was someone else? With a flicker of hope, and dread, she remembered that the Doctor and others had been to the village before. Maybe they’d come back? 

She dipped back into the room where the Doctor was sleeping and plucked his jacket from the ground, where she had been using it as a blanket. 

“I’ll be back,” she whispered the promise to the Time Lord. 

Wrapping the jacket around her shoulders, then easing her arms into the sleeves, she stepped out of the safety of the house and into the darkness. Light came from the houses, and from the sky above, but she could barely see further than a few feet in front of her. She stepped carefully, listening out for the source of the voice. 

She was right about the voice coming from the steps, as she heard it again not too far away. The voice sounded like it was pleading with someone, and she followed it down past the barely lit houses. 

When she arrived at the steps from before, she noticed no one was there. She frowned and turned in a circle, now unable to hear the voice she’d heard from before. She listened out carefully, wondering if her mind had been playing tricks on her. Maybe she was the only one brave enough to be outside. 

That was, until she heard a whisper. 

“Hi? Beda?” she called out. She got no answer. 

“Anyone there?” she tried again, wondering if the Doctor had followed her. 

Yasmin walked in a small circle, wondering if it would be safer for her to just go back to the house. Her friends were clearly not back in the village, and if she wasn’t alone, she doubted anyone friendly would be waiting for her. Just as she began to walk back in the direction of the house, she felt a presence behind her. Yasmin felt a hand brush against her arm and she gasped in surprise, jerking it away. 

The hands reached for her, grabbing her arms and yanking her backwards. The shock of the grab from behind made her writhe and scream, trying to free herself from the hold. Claws dug into her arms, leaving small red marks in her skin, making sure she couldn’t move. She screamed again, but the shrill sound didn’t scare her attacker. 

“You were told to stay inside!” growled the creature, one who had greeted her and the Doctor at the steps. 

“What’s going on?” she grunted, still struggling against its hold. 

The creature let go of one of her arms and put a hand on her chin. It roughly guided her head upwards, and she froze in horror when she saw what it had been referring to. 

Gathering at the edge that separated the desert above from the valley, creatures were forming a circle around it. They didn’t make any sudden, threatening movements, but they stared down into the valley like they were looking for something. None of them made any effort to walk down the steps and attack them, instead just watching. They were Solitudins, though not like the ones in the village. More like the ones who had attacked her in the woodland. She wondered why, now, they chose not to attack. 

They stared down eerily into the village, and Yasmin gasped in surprise. The creature who held her still stared emotionless into the growing mass of Solitudins, like they were as inevitable as the rise of the moon at night. The creature she stood with didn’t seem nearly as tense as she was, but there was still an air of dread in the night. 

“Oi!” came a voice from behind, startling them, “Let go of her, now!” 

“Doctor!” Yasmin shouted in relief. She managed to stumble free of the creature’s hold when it was taken by surprise at the Doctor’s appearance, and she ran over to him. She went to hug him but thought better of it and dug her heels into the ground in front of him so that they didn’t collide. 

His eyes scanned her, “Are you alright?” 

Yasmin nodded wordlessly. 

“Did anyone hurt you?” 

Yasmin gulped and pointed to the gathering Solitudins, “No, but I think they might.” 

The Doctor frowned in confusion but looked up to where Yasmin was pointing. He cringed when he saw the creatures standing threateningly above. He scanned them with his sonic screwdriver but put the device back in his pocket. 

“They’re just like you…what’s going on?” the Doctor asked the creature that now stood beside them. 

“We knew they would come. They always come when there are Them in the village” said the creature with a bowed head. 

“But why?” asked the Doctor in frustration.

“They came when Them, when you, were last here. We will offer you safety, but their agenda is to destroy you and we will not fight against them. The Them brought enough wars to our planet. But the others, up there, will hunt you like mice. You will be free to leave in the morning, they will have gone,” said the creature. 

“You said you spotted the Them at night…and we know they came through the village. How come they didn’t stay here?” asked Yasmin. 

The creature didn’t meet her gaze, “We made a deal with the Solitudins on the outside…they wanted Them so badly. They agreed never to set foot in our village, and to stay in the woodlands during the day in exchange for your-your friends.” 

Yasmin bristled, “Why didn’t you let them stay!” 

The creature tilted its head towards Yasmin, “If we let them stay, the others would’ve killed us. By handing them over, we keep you safe, and all of us.” 

The Doctor put a hand on her shoulder and spoke up, “Whoever made this bargain, would they have known where the others took our friends? Can we speak to them?” 

“Sadly…no. A few hours after the deal was made, and your friends were taken away…Offa disappeared. No one knows where she went, but we can only assume she was taken by the others too. She’s the only one who spoke to Them, and to the creatures outside,” said the creature. 

“Does anyone know if I was there?” asked Yasmin. 

The creature just shook its head apologetically. 

“There is one way to find out,” the Doctor tested, turning to look at Yasmin. It was the first time he had taken his eyes off the creatures above the valley. 

“You mean unblocking my mind?” asked Yasmin nervously. 

The Doctor nodded, “Do you still want to?” 

Yasmin hesitated for a moment. She thought about whatever horror had gone on earlier, and what she still had left to find out, and decided there wasn’t another option. She just wanted to find out where her friends were, and who she was meant to be afraid of. Then, she looked up determinedly at the Doctor, and gave him a firm nod. 

“Please, stay here for the rest of the night. The Solitudins will honour their deal and stay away. You will be safe,” said the creature, who was growing more eager to hide away from those watching them. 

“We’ll try it, and then you can finish resting up. You look like you need it,” said the Doctor, turning back to the house they had been staying at. 

Yasmin rolled her eyes and turned to the creature, “Are you sure we’ll be safe?” 

The creature looked at her, “For now, yes. Goodnight.” 

Yasmin took one more look at the creatures above her before sending a polite smile to the one creature who had given even a small explanation to her. It made her, slightly, more trusting. Then she chased after the Doctor, who walked slowly to accommodate for her. 

“You know it was stupid to go out alone, right?” said the Doctor when she caught up. 

“You know it was stupid to follow me, right?” countered Yasmin. 

“Touché,” shrugged the Doctor as they turned into the house they had been staying in before. 

“It’s good to be home,” joked Yasmin as she stepped into the house they’d been offered. 

The Doctor scrunched up his nose, kicking some black rocks out of his way. They found the bedroom, or at least the largest room, where they had slept for some of the night. Their footprints were still marked into the floor from earlier. 

“You sure you don’t want to get another hour’s sleep?” asked the Doctor, noticing her poorly hidden yawn. 

“No, I definitely can’t sleep knowing those creatures are just standing up there…waiting for us. Besides, we have better things to do.” 

The Doctor sighed, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m sure.” 

“Alright, come on then,” the Doctor as he gestured to the ground. Yasmin took a deep breath and sat down, crossing her legs. 

The Doctor sat down opposite her, crossing his own legs, as they had done once before. His bushy eyebrows furrowed in concentration, dark eyes focusing. He reached up and put his hands on Yasmin’s temples gently, watching her as her nerves built. The Doctor made the connection, his mind and hers, but it hurt them both. Yasmin’s cries drowned out the Doctor’s as they carried into the night, making them both wonder if they’d woken up the rest of the village. 

“Relax, you’ll probably be fine,” said the Doctor through gritted teeth. 

“I hate you,” hissed Yasmin.

“Yeah, whatever. Now, don’t be shy, open up,” murmured the Doctor, closing his eyes as he concentrated. 

The ordeal made Yasmin fidget awkwardly as she considered the consequences of having the Doctor make his way through her mind. It was an intimate gesture for someone who wouldn’t consider them any more than acquaintances, but his calm hands relaxed her anyway. 

“Picture the block in your mind, pretend it’s a door. Whenever you’re ready, just push the door open for me, okay?” asked the Doctor softly. 

“Okay,” said Yasmin with a gulp. 

She closed her eyes and pictured the door in her mind; a white wooden door like the one attached to her bedroom back in Sheffield. She could even see the scratches she’d made in the bottom of it as a child, and the blue felt-tip scribble Sonya had made so many years ago. She imagined her hand reaching out to the gold doorknob, twisting it so it squeaked, and then opening the door for the Doctor. 

“That’s it,” encouraged the Doctor. 

“Can you see anything?” she asked, feeling his presence in her mind. 

“Shush,” he hissed. 

A pressure started to build in her head, and she knew the Doctor could feel it too because he let out a grunt. She felt it like a headache after a night out that was still threatening to get worse. She cringed when she felt the mental block being slowly broken down, knowing what it held behind it. 

She opened her mouth to protest, not as ready for the flood of memories as she thought she had been, but no noise came out. Her head fell forward until her forehead was practically against the Doctor’s, and she prepared herself. 

Yasmin gasped when an image of the Doctor, her Doctor, came into her mind. It was from when they had first arrived on the planet, excited and fresh. They were both grinning, neither with any idea of what was waiting for them. Then another; of herself and her Doctor in the village that was now so familiar. Her Doctor looked tired, scared, but otherwise okay and Yasmin couldn’t help but feel relieved. She wondered if her Doctor looked as bad as she did now. A lot could’ve happened in the time they’d been apart. 

“I see something,” she told him, her voice strained. 

“Good, keep going."

Yasmin took a deep breath. She tried to follow the memory of her Doctor, since it was the strongest one, but it led to a dead end. She tried to pick up a different fragment, but her mind flashed red, and she heard a distinct scream that she thought belonged to her Doctor, but it could’ve been her own. The memory caused her head to burst into an angry torment and she screamed in pain, though she wasn’t sure if she’d made the noise aloud or not, since the Doctor didn’t react. 

She cried out, feeling as though the Doctor’s hands were crushing her instead of protecting her now, and tried to concentrate on the blossoming images. She couldn’t, though, when the pain built and she felt like she couldn’t take any more of it. 

“Yaz, are you okay?” the Doctor asked sternly when she winced and let out a trembly breath. 

She felt as though something was poisoning her mind, clouding any thought or memory she had left. It felt heavy, too, and she had to resist pushing the Doctor out. She knew he was helping, even if it hurt. A tear fell from her eye, but she was frozen, so she let it make its way down her still face. 

“Y-yeah…” said Yasmin, though it was more of a groan. 

The pressure became too much for her and she felt the Doctor’s fingers detach from her temples as she fell backwards, eyes rolling back. He reached out with sharp reflexes and caught her head with one hand before it smacked into the ground. Then, he placed it down carefully as her eyes blinked open. 

Yasmin looked up at the Doctor, though she was seeing two of him, with a delirious smile. The Doctor grimaced as he looked down and she reached up a hand to touch his face. He was grateful that she missed. 

“You called me Yaz,” she said, all in one quick breath. 

“And?” 

“Means you think we’re friends,” she grinned. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “Whatever makes you feel better. Was that really your take away from what just happened?” 

Yasmin shrugged playfully. Her smile faltered when a wave of nausea overcame her and she reached up to put a hand on her flushed head. She felt herself burning up and brushed her hair back in a feeble attempt to cool herself down. 

“Hey, don’t try and rush it. It’ll take a while for your memory to completely come back, if it came back all at once your brain would die,” said the Doctor. 

“That was probably more reassuring in your head,” panted Yasmin. 

The Doctor grunted, “Yeah, well, it’s true. Just go carefully, we don’t want you breaking your brain, do we?” 

He helped her sit up when she’d begun to feel normal again, pushing the memories back until she had the strength to confront them. She sat cross-legged across from the Doctor, hands braced behind her. 

“I thought it would all come rushing back,” mused Yasmin. 

The Doctor shook his head, “Memories, like your mind, are fragile things. You’ll get things back in fragments; as long as you don’t push it won’t cause you any harm.” 

“I can remember some things, though,” said Yasmin, despite the Doctor’s warning stare. 

“What did I just say?” 

“I know, I know. But I couldn’t help it. I was in the village before; with my Doctor, Ryan and Graham. I can see myself leaving with the Doctor and the other Solitudins but the others aren’t there. I guess we were separated somehow,” said Yasmin. 

“Well, no one here is going to tell us what happened, so we’ll have to wait for that pudding brain to tell us,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin sighed, but continued, “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep again, though, not with all these weird memories.” 

“Silver lining, the suns are starting to come up, so they’ll be kicking us out soon anyway,” reassured the Doctor. 

He was right, the dark night was fading into daylight fast, meaning the creatures would be eagerly waiting to get rid of them. Yasmin was glad, though, since she didn’t want to stay in a place that had betrayed her and her friends, even if she could barely remember it. The Doctor, despite usually taking everything in his stride, seemed just as tense to leave. 

“Uh, I have a headache,” complained Yasmin. 

“I’m not surprised. Your head wasn’t designed to have someone digging through it. It’s why I don’t trust psychologists. It’ll ease up soon, just try to think about something other than the memories for a while,” said the Doctor. 

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” agreed Yasmin, getting to her feet. She’d felt uncomfortable with the Doctor looming over her. 

“Look at that,” said the Doctor, gesturing out of the window, “all of the Solitudins are starting to leave for the day. Can you imagine being so scared to leave your home?” 

“They probably feel as scared as I do,” sighed Yasmin. 

“Oh, come on Yaz, at least you don’t live here. We get to say goodbye and eventually leave this planet. They, on the other hand, will never know what’s out there beyond the desert.” 

“Sticking with Yaz then, huh?” said Yasmin with a teasing smile as she linked arms with the Doctor. 

“Might as well, now,” he grumbled. 

She smiled as he awkwardly attempted to handle the intimacy, “You really feel for them, don’t you?” 

“What can I say, I know what it’s like to be a prisoner to a planet at war with itself. And don’t even think about asking me any more questions, because you’re not getting any more answers,” said the Doctor sternly. 

Yasmin put her hands up in defence, but didn’t argue further. Instead, she focused on the creatures outside. Some turned to whatever duties waited for them, though suspected some went to check the Solitudins who had stood above them in the night had gone, but the rest of them started towards Yasmin and the Doctor’s house. The Doctor noticed too and scowled. 

“Guess we’ve overstayed our welcome. Are you alright to walk? Undoing that mental block might make you quite dizzy,” warned the Doctor. 

“I’m fine.” 

The Doctor huffed but made his way towards the doorway, peering outside to watch as they began to wait outside. He spotted Beda at the front, alongside almost half of the village. 

“Alright, come on, they won’t wait much longer,” said the Doctor as he walked back towards Yasmin. She didn’t acknowledge him, though, instead her eyes stared blankly at the wall. 

“I’m always right, but you humans will never listen,” he sighed when it looked like Yasmin was on the verge of collapse. 

Yasmin stumbled forward and grabbed onto the Doctor’s arm, still staring at the spot she’d found on the wall with wide eyes. The Doctor frowned, watching her as she took shallow breaths, grip tightening on him. He tried to brush her off, but he wasn’t even sure if she would hear him. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked. 

“Memory…” she explained, in a distant voice. 

In her mind, as clear as if it was real, she saw her Doctor. She was looking into Yasmin’s eyes, even the memory’s eyes were so gentle, whilst holding onto her shoulders. It must’ve been before she injured her shoulder, she guessed, knowing how much that would’ve hurt now. The voice at first was hazy, and Yasmin couldn’t work out what she was saying. She concentrated on her friend’s lips, trying to work out what she was saying. Her Doctor’s expression changed as her words became clearer in Yasmin’s head. 

“Yaz…Yasmin. Don’t come back. Promise me you will never come back here. You can’t save me…and I definitely can’t save you.”


	5. A Doctor With Answers

The image of the Doctor-her Doctor faded as fast as it had appeared. It was like Yasmin was looking at smoke on the mirror of her mind, and almost immediately, it vanished. Though the image was out of her head, the words echoed round and round. The harshness, the desperation of her tone. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever stop hearing them. 

“What the hell was that?” she breathed, still clutching onto the Doctor. 

“You said it yourself; memory. What did you see?” asked the Doctor, curious to know what had set her on edge. 

She replayed it in her mind. The Doctor with no hope, scared and alone. Like her, her Doctor was lost somewhere, probably just as worried as she was. She didn’t even have a single idea where Ryan and Graham were. She hadn’t been able to recover even one memory of her boys; and it scared her. 

“How could you do that?” she asked, accusation in her eyes. 

She stood nose to nose with the Doctor, who looked at her in confusion. Yasmin stood up on the tip of her toes, trying to make herself taller. She found that she barely came up to her own Doctor’s shoulders, let alone this taller version of her. He seemed amused as she stood up straighter, bubbling with tiny rage. 

“What are you talking about?” he asked. 

“You didn’t leave me to protect me…you left me behind. You never wanted me to come and find you, you gave up!” shouted Yasmin. 

“You can’t blame me for a decision I haven’t even made yet,” said the Doctor, with a roll of his eyes. 

Yasmin crossed her arms, “You’re the one always saying how you’re the same person.” 

“Yeah, well, we are, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t lose a few brain cells during the regeneration process. Now, why don’t you tell me what’s gotten you so angry, huh?” said the Doctor. 

“It was the Doctor…you, you said to not come back. You said I can’t save you and you definitely can’t save me.” 

“It makes sense that she’d put that memory on the surface, sort of like a message for you, or a warning. Looks like she’s gone to a lot of effort to sort through your memories and turn them into a puzzle,” mused the Doctor. 

“It’s not like that,” argued Yasmin. 

The Doctor gave her a look, “Oh, so you’re allowed to be angry with her but when I try it you get all upset. You know what you have; a Time Lord bias.” 

Yasmin smiled sarcastically, “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just, she’d never leave me. Even if she knew I’d find you, she would know I’d come and find her. And she would know Ryan and Graham would too, if they’re not with her. She doesn’t just give up like that, something has to be wrong.” 

“Oh, something’s definitely wrong. But she’s not a hero, you know, maybe she just gave up. Gallifrey knows she’s been fighting for long enough,” shrugged the Doctor. 

Yasmin tried to picture her Doctor giving up. She tried to imagine her forgetting about Yasmin, or Ryan, or Graham. Then she shook her head. This was the alien who would wait outside the police station because she didn’t understand that desk duty wasn’t dangerous. 

“Maybe that’s you, not her,” countered Yasmin. 

“I spent billions of painful years being stubborn, would be nice to finally have myself learn something. Can you really blame her for deciding, for once, fighting might just be too hard?” asked the Doctor. 

“Yes,” answered Yasmin simply. 

The Doctor sighed, “Maybe you do know me better than I thought. Alright, alright, we both know she hasn’t really given up, so what do you think she’s up to?” 

“I think you were right before; she’s trying to protect me. We need to go and save her from whatever she thinks I’m in danger of,” shrugged Yasmin. 

The Doctor smirked, “Back to plan A, then? Wander through this terrible planet until we find your friends and wait for that brain of yours to recharge.” 

“I think we’d better get out of here first. Look at them,” said Yasmin, gesturing to the creatures who were stood outside their house, watching the scene unfold. They waited impatiently for Yasmin and the Doctor to leave, Beda still standing firm at the front. 

“Sorry about that,” said the Doctor as he skipped out to greet them, “just a little domestic. I suppose you want rid of us, now?” 

Beda stepped forward, “Please. It is time for you to leave. But first, our Healer has prepared something for you, Them, it will stop the infection. I will take you to them before you go, the suns will not be kind to your wounds.” 

Yasmin had tried to forget about the damage she’d done to her body. Her ankle was bothering her less now, and her time away from the harsh desert had helped ease the ache. She could ignore the bruises and scratches, but her shoulder was another story. Even during previous adventures and her police training she had never received an injury so deep or painful, and it was becoming hard to pretend she didn’t feel it. 

Yasmin thanked Beda but looked towards the Doctor before accepting the help. He gave her a reassuring nod when she hesitated, both of them knowing he would follow her to make sure there was no danger. His silent promise comforted her and she turned to Beda. 

“Okay, thank you,” she answered, before following Beda to a house not far from the one they had been staying in. 

“Why are you helping me?” asked Yasmin as they walked. 

The Doctor tutted from behind, “You’ll have to excuse her. She has the manners of a woman from the 21st Century, completely socially inept.” 

She whipped around and glared at him, “Says you Time Lord.” 

Beda bowed its head, “In truth, your presence reminds us of how we treated those of you who came first. We may be unable to help them, but we can help you.” 

Its words were a harsh reminder of the Doctor’s words to Yasmin in her memory and she frowned. Maybe the Solitudins could leave her friends out in the desert, living in ignorance to what happened to them, but Yasmin couldn’t. Her cold eyes and furrowed brows told the Doctor that she was still angry at their betrayal. 

They found that the house they were brought to looked almost the same as the one they had stayed in, though with more flowers planted outside. A dirtied rug lay crumpled on the ground and shelving stuck out of the mud walls. Each shelf held a different vial, bottle, or herb that made Yasmin feel like she was walking into a witch’s den. She glanced back at the Doctor, who was more than happy to step into the dark, mysterious house without a second thought. 

“What if they make me drink something weird?” whispered Yasmin as the Doctor fell into step beside her.

“Hush!” he swatted at her. 

“Promise you’ll drink it first?” asked Yasmin, folding her arms. 

“Yeah whatever, might as well get us both poisoned,” said the Doctor, sniffing one of the open vials that rested on the shelves. He turned his nose up at the smell. 

“Healer,” called Beda, eyes wandering to the next room. 

They heard heavy footsteps coming from the next room before the Healer appeared around the corner. 

Yasmin put a hand over her mouth to hide the gasp that she couldn’t contain. The Doctor nudged her, but his own expression told her that he was thinking the same. The Healer was an older man, but he didn’t look like the Solitudins. He looked, and dressed, like he belonged on Earth, except blotches of bold red skin marred him. The red crept up his arms like gloves, and almost half his face had become red. 

The most surprising part of the meeting, however, was that the Healer looked just as surprised to see Yasmin as she was to see him. They stared at each other, both equally as confused as the other, until the Doctor broke the trance. 

“You’re like us, aren’t you? Why are you here?” he asked. 

The Healer cleared his throat, still staring at Yasmin, “I was brought here with Them, for the wars. Evolution happens fast on this planet, you’ll find if you stay here much longer that it’ll start to feel like home. And I don’t mean that in a good way.” 

“Why don’t you leave?” suggested the Doctor. 

The Healer scoffed, “And return to Earth looking like this? I’m valued here, I would be ridiculed back there.” 

Yasmin huffed, offended, and it reminded the Doctor of his next question, “Do you know my friend here? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

The Healer looked flustered, “N-no, I just haven’t seen an Earth human in a long time.” 

Yasmin frowned, “But the Doctor looks human, too, why aren’t you interested in him?” 

“It’s nothing,” said the Healer quietly, “I just thought you looked familiar.” 

“Ah!” shouted the Doctor, pointing dramatically, “so you’ve seen her before! You lot were wrong, Offa wasn’t the only one who spoke to Them.” 

The Healer put his hands up in defence, “I don’t know anything. All I know is she was brought here once before. There were others, but I only met two of them. All I know is that you were being chased, and they followed a tracker back to the village. We removed trackers from you and a young man, about your age. I never saw the others. The Solitudins from the outside struck their bargain before we could help the others.” 

“All four of us were here, then?” 

The Healer nodded, “There should be two stitches in the back of your neck from where we took out the tracker. It will prove my story.” 

The Doctor brushed Yasmin’s hair forward to check. He found, as the Healer had said, two small stitches. He gave Yasmin a grim thumbs up as confirmation. 

“I’m almost glad I don’t remember that,” grimaced Yasmin, feeling for the stitches with a shaky hand. 

“At least we can’t be followed, unlike your friends,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin’s eyes lit up, “Wait, Doctor, can’t we use the sonic screwdriver to follow the trackers? I mean, we know it’s Solitudin technology, and the sonics recognise Sheffield, right?” 

The Doctor clapped his hands together, “Clever girl. I think that might just work.” 

The Healer smiled, “I am glad I can help. Sending you all away felt like a bad omen, maybe we can make it right now. But first, allow me to fix your shoulder.” 

The Healer fumbled around on his shelves, picking up various bottles before putting them back. He sifted through the second shelf before picking up one bottle, swilling it around, and holding it up in triumph. 

“Here, just apply the paste to your shoulder,” he exclaimed, handing the bottle over to her. 

She found an old-looking glass bottle that was filled with a green paste, resembling crushed herbs. It had an odd, strong scent of honey and dust, which made Yasmin wrinkle her nose. Yasmin held it up to the sunlight, scrutinising it. 

“It was starting to hurt pretty bad,” admitted Yasmin, who had been ignoring the burn in her shoulder, “how did you know?” 

She shrugged off the jacket and handed it to the Doctor before applying the paste like it was sun-cream. It stung the barely-healed injury to her shoulder and she winced. The Doctor straightened up but didn’t react and wordlessly handed the jacket back to her. 

Beda shrugged, “No one comes here unharmed.” 

Yasmin let Beda take the remains of the bottle from her hands, which she’d wiped clean on her t-shirt. 

“You’re lucky that’s the t-shirt you ruined,” said the Doctor, eying up the green paste, dirt and blood that had collected on the fabric. 

Yasmin pouted, “I liked this t-shirt.” 

“I didn’t, but it’s fine, this will cover it,” said the Doctor, throwing his jacket back to her. Her shoulder wouldn’t allow her to reach up and catch it, so instead let it catch her face. Yasmin rolled her eyes, blowing messy strands of dark hair from her face. 

“You are unbelievable-” Yasmin was interrupted by Beda, who looked between the two travellers and put a hand up to quieten them. 

“Please. Leave now whilst you have daylight, you will be safest,” Beda said. 

“Thank you…for the safe passage,” said the Doctor awkwardly, offering a hand for Beda to shake. 

“And thank you, Healer, for the help,” said Yasmin, shaking his hand. The pain in her shoulder was already beginning to numb, and she was glad she didn’t have to add infection to her long list of worries. 

“Please,” said the Healer, holding her hands close, “stay safe.” 

Yasmin and the Doctor followed Beda away from the Healer’s house. His anxiety grew the longer they stayed, and they both decided they’d caused enough trouble to the villagers. Beda took them back to the house they had stayed in, and they found the creatures were still waiting for them. They clearly wanted to see them go. 

The Doctor gave the other creatures a goodbye wave, which was promptly ignored, but then followed Beda’s gesture towards another flights of steps on the other side of the valley. He stepped towards it but paused when Yasmin hesitated. Instead of making her way out of the village, she turned to Beda. It tilted its head at the confrontation. 

“Can you…if my friends come back, will you tell them that I’m looking for them…and that I miss them?” she asked, a lump on her throat. 

Beda nodded, “We will tell Them about your travels, and we will pray that you are reunited one day. This planet does not bring people together, but maybe you will be different.” 

Yasmin thanked him and jogged over towards the Doctor, who seemed to be watching her carefully. He cheerfully waved goodbye to the creatures, who all looked relieved to see the human and the Time Lord leave their once peaceful village. Yasmin supposed if they were facing whatever lurked in the desert, it meant the villagers didn’t have to. 

“Ready?” asked the Doctor, leading her towards the steps. 

“As I’ll ever be.” 

They began their walk towards the other set of steps, hearing the creatures whispering to each other behind them. Yasmin wondered if they knew something she didn’t, considering how much they’d hidden from her before. She thought about Beda’s kind, guilty eyes and decided to hope otherwise. 

“So, two of your friends still have trackers, right? One being the Doctor. I’ll use my sonic to find her, and you use yours to find your other friend. We’ll find out soon enough if they’re together or not,” instructed the Doctor. 

He began to show her how to scan for the trackers, and she managed to lock on to a tracker which she hoped belonged to Graham. The Doctor struggled but managed to do the same. 

“Looks like they’re together after all,” mused the Doctor as they compared readings. Yasmin sighed in relief. 

“Let’s hope Ryan’s there too,” said Yasmin, watching the sonic screwdriver make sense of the trackers they’d scanned for. 

“Doesn’t look like they’re that far away. Looks like maybe five or six miles. Sure, things will probably try and kill us on the way but that’s not really a shock at this point is it,” said the Doctor. 

“Let’s hurry up then!” shouted Yasmin. The Doctor shook his head. 

“We could be running to our deaths, you realise that?” he asked. 

“My Doctor and Graham are moving about, so they’re still alive right? The odds are looking good, don’t you think?” 

“Humans are dangerously optimistic,” he chided before falling into their familiar silent walk. 

Without much time to prepare, they were once again at the mercy of the deserts, without the protection of the Solitudins from the village. Yasmin wasn’t scared, though, since all of her energy was taken up by worrying about her friends. She grew more and more frustrated when her memory showed her nothing useful. Whatever the Doctor had hidden from her, she’d hidden it well. 

Something was on the other Doctor’s mind, too, Yasmin could see that. His eyes were focussed on their path ahead but it looked as though he was mouthing something. She knew he’d be mad if she interrupted him, but there was a question on her mind. 

She’d seen a memory, an image, that didn’t belong to her. She knew it didn’t because the sadness attached to it wasn’t familiar to her. The sweet, pretty face in its brunette frame wasn’t anyone she had seen before. Plus, the name that came with it, whispered lovingly, was spoken in a thick Scottish accent. 

“Doctor…” Yasmin asked slowly. 

“What is it?” 

“When you undid the mental block, there was a minute where we were…I don’t know, connected I guess. I saw the name come up again in your head, Clara. It was so sad, but I couldn’t figure out why.” 

The Doctor’s eyes darkened, “You shouldn’t go snooping into minds, Yaz.” 

Yasmin shrugged sheepishly, “You looked into mine, it’s only fair. Besides, I couldn’t help it. Her name was like a beacon.” 

“You won’t quit, will you?” 

“It’s just…my Doctor never talks about her. She obviously meant a lot to you, but she’s never spoken a word of her. I just don’t want to be forgotten, too,” said Yasmin, her eyes cast down. 

“No one gets forgotten. But sometimes…people die. Or they get lost, or they leave. Your Doctor probably thinks if she never tells you what she’s so afraid of, then she’ll never have to face the possibility of being without you. She can pretend she believes in the pretty domesticity but she knows deep down there’s nothing stopping you from becoming like Clara,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin’s eyes widened at the outburst and she spoke quietly, “So you think I’m going to die?” 

“Everyone dies. Any time, any place or in our case, any planet. The only guarantee is that you’ll die before I do. It’s inevitable.” 

Yasmin frowned, “Are you saying it’s not worth it?” 

The Doctor sighed, “It’s always worth it. But that doesn’t mean it hurts any less.” 

“When I was in school, my girlfriend’s mum got cancer. There was nothing they could do to help her. One day, I asked her how she was coping…and she just said; ‘every day is a blessing, every month is a gift and every year is a miracle. There’s no point cursing out Allah when he’s given you this time in the first place’.” Said Yasmin with a faint smile. 

“What’s a few years when you live as long as I do?” 

Yasmin shrugged, “Still a miracle.” 

The Doctor kicked his feet in the ground, as if he could scare away the harsh conversation Yasmin had brought to him. Yasmin could see the grief whirring around his head and wondered where her Doctor had hidden her own. 

“You’ll be the death of me, Yasmin Khan, no wonder I left you in the desert. Now, come on, we need to make the most of the daylight,” said the Doctor, pulling her along. 

She scowled at him and he shrugged, “What? Was that too soon?”


	6. The Circle and The Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has taken so long to update, I broke my laptop as I was half-way into writing it! Everything's fixed now though, so we should be back on track. As always, thanks so much for the comments and kudos, every single one of them means the world. I hope you like the new chapter!

Yasmin watched the sonic screwdriver religiously. It didn’t make much difference, considering she struggled to read it, but seeing the dot that represented Graham blinking with life calmed her. She hadn’t really looked up from it since it began to track her friend, seeing the reality of a reunion become clearer with each step. 

“Yaz,” began the Doctor, the first time he had spoken up in an hour, “I know you aren’t talking right now, but somehow your thoughts are even louder than your voice. I’ll only ask this once, is there something you want to talk about?” 

“Do you think Ryan will be with the others? He’s smart, but not great on his feet. I don’t want to think about him being alone,” said Yasmin, finally voicing the fears that had begun to consume her. 

The Doctor paused, “If he’s as smart as you think, then he’ll be alright. We’ve done alright so far, don’t see why he can’t be just as lucky.” 

“You think?” smiled Yasmin, after being offered some relief. 

“I do. Why don’t you tell me about your friends,” asked the Doctor, “if I’m going to be stuck with you I’d like to know who else I’m dealing with.” 

Yasmin brushed off the comment, hearing the fondness in it, “Being stuck with me in the future is your punishment for being mean to me now, remember that. Well, you travel with Ryan and his step-grandad, Graham. You’re always telling Ryan to follow the rules, but I think you’re actually proud that he’s just like you. Graham always says there’s ‘not a button that hasn’t been pushed between the two of them’.” 

“Graham’s the responsible one, then, what does that make you?” asked the Doctor.

Yasmin shrugged, “I do what the Doctor wants me to do.” 

The Doctor scoffed, “I knew it, boring.” 

“Trust me, you’ll appreciate it one day. You don’t always have your head screwed on, no matter how much you want to pretend you’re perfect.” 

“Oh,” said the Doctor sarcastically, “it’s a good thing I’ve got you then. What about you? Only thing I know about you is that you’re a copper, and you’re pretty bad at being fun. Not fair, considering you know so much about me.” 

“Now you’re curious, then?” 

“It’s better than you asking questions about me,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“But what if I tell you something that ruins the future? Like, I could tell you something that you don’t know in the future and…I don’t know, it could mean we never meet,” countered Yasmin nervously. 

“I doubt finding out how many siblings you have is going to cause an apocalypse.”

Yasmin looked unconvinced, “Alright, you’re the Time Lord. I have a younger sister, Sonya, but that’s all. You know, I haven’t been away from her that long, but I’m really starting to miss her. Last time that happened was when I went to Corfu with mates for two weeks. All it took was a fortnight of hangovers for me to remember I love her.” 

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and you can’t get much more absent than this,” said the Doctor, gesturing to the desert around them. 

“I hadn’t even been abroad until I was eighteen, didn’t think I’d ever get used to hopping across planets. I’m not going to want to visit any beaches after this, though, I’ve seen enough sand for a lifetime,” said Yasmin. 

“Yeah, probably avoid the sun for a while too,” he commented, looking down to the reddish tan his body had been developing. 

Yasmin winced at the sunburn the Doctor had saved her from, “Yeah, might be a good idea. I do have a question for you, though.” 

The Doctor groaned dramatically, “You don’t understand how this works, do you?” 

“It’s just one! I just don’t understand, if you knew how terrible this planet was, then why did you come here?” 

“I didn’t actually mean to come here. I’d been in Cardiff, a few hundred years in the future…accidentally though, but the TARDIS chose to come here instead of Star Nineteen-” The Doctor’s fond smile faltered when Yasmin interrupted him. 

“What’s Star Nineteen?” she asked. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “Really, Yaz, that wasn’t the interesting part of the story. Imagine IKEA, but it’s a planet. I was trying to get some new cabinets for a Martian queen but got pulled here instead. Next thing I know, some strange human girl decides to pass out in my ship.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know the rest. So, what, fate brought us together then?” asked Yasmin, a teasing twinkle in her eyes. 

“No. The TARDIS knew you lot were wreaking havoc and decided an adult needed to intervene,” scoffed the Doctor. 

Yasmin laughed, “I think you’ll find my Doctor is a fair bit older than you are, so she’s technically the adult.” 

“From what I heard, she might as well be as old as you. How old are you anyway, twelve?” asked the Doctor. 

Yasmin’s mouth dropped open in offence, “Do I really look twelve to you? I’m nineteen!” 

“What’s the difference, really?” 

“A lot!” shouted Yasmin, her arms waving around in an exasperated gesture. 

“When I was twelve, your great-grandparents weren’t even a ball of cells. Seven years doesn’t mean anything, it is really important to you humans?” asked the Doctor. 

“Some of us aren’t ancient, Doctor, seven years isn’t just a week for us. I swear you live in dog years,” said Yasmin, rolling her eyes. 

“That is so offensive,” exclaimed the Doctor, “I’m not surprised the aliens don’t like you.” 

“They don’t like you either, remember,” pointed out Yasmin. 

The Doctor huffed, “Only because they think I’m human. Now hurry up; quicker we go, the less we have to converse.” 

The Doctor moved his black boots so that he was on the verge of breaking into a jog, kicking sand and mud as he went. Yasmin hadn’t been able to work out, since she’d met him, how he had so much energy, when she felt as though she could collapse at any moment. She supposed, thinking of her own Doctor, that it must be a Time Lord thing.

She trudged along next to him, feeling as though the sand had become quicksand somewhere along their journey, considering how it dragged her down. Her legs had become immune to the ache they’d developed over the past days, but they were still heavy beneath her.

“Oh no,” she grumbled, not loud enough for the Doctor to hear, when a twinge told her what to expect next. As expected, it developed into a headache as her anxieties grew.

The terribly familiar pain came back to Yasmin, though fortunately hurt less than before, and she braced for it. The Doctor hadn’t noticed that she’d slowed her pace, as he had gotten used to her growing tired and falling behind. She waited for the memories to wash over her but found only one image was brought forward to her mind. 

“You alright?” asked the Doctor as he turned back to look at her in concern. 

“Doctor…something’s wrong,” hissed Yasmin, clutching the side of her head. 

“It’s just a memory, don’t worry. It’ll be fine in a minute,” comforted the Doctor, barely looking up from the sonic screwdriver. 

“No, no,” said Yasmin, shaking her head, “that’s not the problem. I’ve been getting tiny fragments back…nothing that helps clear anything up. But-but this is the first time Ryan’s been in any.” 

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and looked up, “Anything interesting?” 

Yasmin nodded slowly, “I don’t think he’s with the others. It looks like we haven’t been with him for some time. I can’t work out what happened yet, but I think it was something really bad.” 

“Well if you can’t work out what happened, then how do you know it was something bad?” asked the Doctor, forgetting the sonic screwdriver in his hand. 

“Because I saw something I’ve never seen before, hidden in the back of my mind. It feels so dark, like the Doctor was hoping it would stay buried. It doesn’t feel right,” shuddered Yasmin. 

“You’re scaring me, Yaz, what did you see?” 

Yasmin looked across to the Doctor, as if she didn’t know whether or not she should tell him, since it was his future after all, “The Doctor was crying. And she whispered his name, like she was scared of it.” 

The Doctor looked down, but recovered quickly, “It’s probably nothing. There’s no point worrying until the pieces fit together. You’re missing days, potentially weeks of memory. And our only real lead so far has been a crazy doctor, and not the one we’re trying to find.” 

“So, what then?” asked Yasmin, still shaken up. 

“What do you think?” 

“We hurry up and get some answers?” asked Yasmin, imitating his authoritative voice, “But it’s not really that easy, is it?” 

The Doctor grunted, “Yeah, well, I think it might be now.” 

Yasmin frowned at him, unsure what he was talking about. But then, she followed his eyeline and saw that, in the exact centre of his chest, standing out against the dirtied white of his shirt, there was a small red dot. Then, she looked up to see a glint of metal beside a large coal-coloured rock in the distance. 

“Is that…a laser sight?” asked Yasmin, her mouth falling open. 

“Have I told you how much I hate guns?” grumbled the Doctor. 

“That isn’t just any gun, not even my boss is allowed to carry something like that,” breathed Yasmin. 

“Well, yeah, you’re not American. Does look like quite military stuff, though, shame we’re on this end of the gun.” 

Yasmin nodded, “Yeah, we’d probably be quite safe if we were on the other side.” 

The Doctor nudged her, “Think we’d better go and see what’s going on, don’t you? I’d quite like to meet whoever is pointing a very large laser gun at us, hiding behind a rock. You know, that is classic behaviour for someone holding a gun.” 

Yasmin’s eyes widened, and she reached out to stop the Doctor from walking, “Doctor! You don’t just waltz up to someone pointing a gun at you. Even if they are hiding behind a rock! Are you trying to get us killed?” 

The Doctor scoffed, “Yaz, if our friend is using a laser sight, it would probably be because they want better aim over a farther distance. And look, they’ve got the perfect shot. So why haven’t they fired yet? That’s because they’re using the laser to scare us into not running away. They can’t shoot us for doing what they want, what kind of flawed logic would that be?” 

“Oh, yeah,” said Yasmin, “our friend is the one with flawed logic.” 

“Fine, just stay behind me, okay?” said the Doctor, walking up through the sand and towards the cluster of rocks ahead. The gun became clearer as they walked closer, and the laser remained steady on his chest. 

Yasmin kept in close, practically pressed up against him, as she kept a trained eye on the gun ahead. Whoever was holding it hadn’t stepped out from behind the rock yet, so they didn’t know who they were dealing with. All Yasmin could see was half a face, though it was largely hidden by the shadows cast by the rocks. 

“We’re not asking for any trouble, don’t even have any weapons,” said the Doctor as they grew closer. The gun wasn’t lowered, even when its owner stepped out to greet them. 

The owner of the gun was a Solitudin, one definitely not from the village. Yasmin found it strange when she saw the sharp claws wrapped around the handle of the gun, and guessed the creature wasn’t from the outside either. She wondered how many other groups of Solitudins were lost to the desert, and how many of them wanted to kill her. 

The Solitudin stepped into their full view, pointing the gun directly at the Doctor’s head. Yasmin winced, knowing one wrong move from the creature, or one witty remark from the Doctor, could put a bullet through his head in a second. Yasmin wouldn’t even know what had happened. She shuddered at the thought, still standing close to the Doctor. 

“Hi, my name’s the Doctor, and this is Yaz,” introduced the Doctor, as gently as he could. 

“What are you doing here?” asked the creature, gun still pointed at the Doctor’s forehead. The Doctor tried to step back, to relieve his head of the barrel pressed into it, but the creature only pushed the gun forward. 

“Uh, I lost some friends, and he’s helping me look for them. You call old humans Them, don’t you? Well we lost three Them and we’re trying to find them,” explained Yasmin, her hands raised in defence. 

“Four Them were reportedly taken into the Circle around two days ago. Two are still there, according to rumours. I suppose that’s who you mean?” said the creature. 

Yasmin nodded eagerly, “Yeah, I was one of the four. Somehow, I got free, but my memories were buried and blocked.” 

The creature frowned, “I’ve not heard of the Circle doing that to anyone…they aren’t usually ones to hide what they’re doing.” 

Yasmin shook her head, “Wasn’t anyone from the Circle who did it, it was my friend, but I really need to find out why. I promise, we don’t mean you any harm.”

The creature, very wearily, lowered the gun.

“It’s not safe, you being here. If anyone even saw me talking to you, I’d be shot dead on the spot. You’re lucky I’m indifferent to Them.” 

“Why is that, anyway? Seems we can’t win where ever we end up on this terrible planet,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin nudged him and he shrugged, “What? It is a really terrible planet.” 

“This planet was torn apart by war. The Solitudins were ripped to pieces, fragmenting into groups to stay safe. The village you speak of, they seek peace. They are mostly made up of conscientious objectors, mothers or those who wanted better for us. Those on the outside come angry from the war, wanting to not only kill Them here, but also Them who remain on Earth. The peaceful and the vengeful have squeezed the life from this planet with their bloody hands,” said the creature, quietly. 

“We knew we had the civil war on our hands, but what’s with the Circle? First time we’ve heard of them,” asked Yasmin, ignoring the Doctor’s glare of protest as she took charge. 

“What she said,” grumbled the Doctor. 

“The Circle is our planet’s government, and line of defence. It’s a small city full of the powerful and the authority; where punishments, negotiations and prisons are held. If you were taken there, it would have been because you breached law, or were deemed a threat to the community,” explained the creature. 

“Yeah, both of those are my specialty. So, which side are you on, then? You don’t speak very highly of any side,” agreed the Doctor. 

The creature shrugged, “If it were my way, there would be no war to be afraid of. The Circle cannot find our planet peace because they watch the skies for war every night. The Circle’s attention on Earth means the village and the outsiders are free to fight among themselves. By remaining impartial, I am safe. I suggest you try it to, your meddling friends only made it worse for themselves.” 

“We have to find the Circle. It’s where we’ll find the others, I’m sure of it. Is it far from here?” asked Yasmin. 

The creature shook its head, “No, maybe an hour, maybe two. But you won’t get far, anyone living in the Circle will tell authorities if they see Them. You’ll put giant targets on your backs.” 

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” reassured the Doctor, who was just as excited about exploring a mysterious government as Yasmin was to find her friends. 

“I managed to escape, I can probably find my way back in, right? We’ve got just as big targets on our backs out here in the open, anyway. You know more than we do how dangerous it is to be out here at night,” said Yasmin. 

The creature sighed, “I can take you with me, if you promise you intent to stop the hatred and wars this planet is suffering from. Stop the violence.” 

“I’m the Doctor,” responded the Doctor, “healing planets is what I do. But we really need to find the other Them; I don’t think they’ll appreciate if we leave them in the middle of your wars about them. Let us get them to safety, and then I’ll patch your species back up.” 

“Loving the modesty,” murmured Yasmin, only to be shushed by the Doctor, who had puffed out his chest smugly. 

“Thank you. I worked for the military and have an army truck that I took when I left the Circle. It will help you to get close without arousing suspicion. I will leave you where it is safe for me to go, after that you’re on your own,” explained the creature. 

“We’re very grateful. What’s your name?” asked the Doctor. 

“I’m sorry, Doctor, for not having more faith in you, but if you got caught and you held my name, I would be joining you in that prison until I die. And I have friends to protect, as you do.” 

The Doctor shrugged, “I do some of my best work when no one believes in me. So, shall we go and find this truck of yours?” 

“It’s not far. Those on the outside wouldn’t attack a military vehicle, so you don’t have to worry about that, but stay low anyway. I will warn you when we near the Circle, you don’t want to risk being seen,” said the creature.

The creature walked in the direction the Doctor and Yasmin had been headed, past the rocks around them. They stepped over a tall drift in the sand and were able to see the rest of the lonely, vast desert ahead. Except, this time, there was a truck parked in it with tire marks mapping out their journey. 

“The gun, the truck…you sure have a lot of Earth things for a group so desperate to get away from us,” commented Yasmin as the vehicle ahead of them came into view. 

The truck wasn’t exactly modern, not like Yasmin had imagined, though she assumed it must’ve come from her future. It was a pick-up truck, a rusted orange colour, with large black tires and a silver lining. The back of the truck held blankets and two boxes, sealed from view.

“You’ll have noticed that the village don’t use any technologies from Earth. It is believed that Earth technology was the beginning of the species downfall. Now, only the Circle use these technologies, in preparation for any wars that may come. They find stealing more successful than learning, as many governments do,” explained the creature. 

“Yeah, that does seem to happen on planets with any form of humans,” said the Doctor, nudging Yasmin, “doesn’t it Yaz?” 

She wasn’t in a joking mood, though, she was nervous, “Not like this though.” 

The Doctor ignored her pessimism and turned his attention to the truck in front of them, “You know, it’s been a long time since I drove anything from Earth. I guess I’ll just call shot-gun instead.” 

Yasmin couldn’t help but chuckle, “They have that on Gallifrey then, do they?” 

“Your planet didn’t invent cars you know…complete arrogance on Karl’s part, who do you think gave him the idea?” said the Doctor. 

The creature interrupted them, “I’m afraid you’ll have to lie in the back, the risk is too high that someone will check the front of the truck if we pass. There is room for you two in the back.” 

Yasmin laughed at the Doctor’s face of disgust. 

The Doctor laid down in the back of the pick-up truck, his long lithe legs curled up underneath him. Yasmin was grateful for her shorter legs, particularly when the Doctor began to grumble about the lack of space. The open cargo back of the truck was only made big enough for a light load, which didn’t account for two stowaways. The creature locked up the back and shot them one last glance before throwing two old, brown blankets over them. 

The smell of the blankets made Yasmin throw her hand over her mouth. The Doctor seemed glad that she was now just as uncomfortable as he was. She gagged at the smell, tasting it in her mouth, and turned her head to the side so that she wasn’t so confronted by it. 

“Well, this is cosy,” commented Yasmin, already becoming unbearably hot under the material. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “You know, it would’ve been so easy to just make my way to Star Nineteen and leave you in an intergalactic wardrobe.” 

Yasmin’s mouth flew open in a dramatic disagreement, but she was thrown off and gasped as the truck shuddered into action, releasing black smoke into the air above them. She was slammed into the edge of the truck. 

“Our driver isn’t very considerate,” she grumbled.

“Well, it’s not like we’re in an Uber, is it?’ said the Doctor, watching as Yasmin moved from rubbing her side to her head with a wince. 

“Have you still got a headache?” he asked. 

“Yeah, it’s like the closer we get to unlocking the memories, the more it hurts. Heading back to the Circle definitely doesn’t help, I’m guessing that was the main thing the Doctor wanted me to forget. It doesn’t sound like we had a brilliant time there,” said Yasmin. 

“Close your eyes, try and rest. Not staring at the sun for days will probably do your head some good, make the most of it,” advised the Doctor. 

“Doctor’s orders, is it?” teased Yasmin, but she did what she was told. 

“I don’t need to be a doctor to tell you sleep when you can and avoid the sun. Those are pretty solid instructions for looking after humans…I’ve dealt with enough of you to write a book,” said the Doctor.

The Doctor turned away from her, peaking from underneath the blanket to check where they were headed. Yasmin watched in amusement, knowing he would be ready to protect them both from even a bump beneath them. Yasmin peered beside him and noticed what he had; that their surroundings were turning into more mud than sand, and the ground was getting less flat. She didn’t know much about geography, but she knew they would soon be out of the harsh, deep deserts.

At some point in their journey, soothed by the rumble of the truck and the thought of being away from the place that they had been trapped in for days, Yasmin let her eyes shut and allowed herself to drift into sleep. She knew she wouldn’t have long, an hour if she was lucky, but a whisper that rang into her ears ripped her from sleep within minutes. Panic set in, and she wondered in a daze if they’d been caught, but found she was still under the blanket. She noticed, however, that the Doctor wasn’t. 

Her breath hitched, wondering if maybe he had left her behind, but she realised the whisper that had pulled her from unconsciousness was his. She put her head against the floor she was lying on, listening for him. She realised he was still beside her, but he was talking to someone.

“She reminds me of you, you know. I haven’t gotten close enough to a human since you left to remember how stupidly obvious your emotions are. You have the same sad eyes. Maybe trying to bring her home is my second chance; help her like I couldn’t help you. At least my memories of you are still intact, can’t say the same for my new friend. See, she’d appreciate that, my jokes are wasted on you. Mostly because I’m talking to myself,” said the Doctor, in a hushed voice. 

Yasmin felt a strange pang of jealousy as she listened to the Doctor talk so softly to whoever he was imagining was beside him. There was no sarcasm, or tinge of annoyance to any of his words. It almost reminded Yasmin of how her Doctor spoke to her. 

Yasmin peered out from the blanket to see the Doctor at the edge of the truck, his legs dangling from the vehicle. His head was looking up to into the sky, and he hadn’t even noticed that he had woken Yasmin. 

“I never know what it is about you humans, but I still haven’t figured out how to say goodbye to you,” whispered the Doctor. 

Yasmin felt the sadness that fell over the truck like the blanket did over her body. She pulled the blanket back over her head, feeling as though she was intruding on a moment she wasn’t meant to be a part of, and fell asleep to the sound of the Doctor talking to the stars.


	7. Lost And Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, it's getting intense now! Things will start making sense very soon and don't worry, the bromance isn't going anywhere! Thanks as always for reading and encouraging me along, I can't wait to share the rest of this story with you all. I hope you continue to enjoy it

Yasmin’s dreams came and went, fleeting from one thing to another. Most of her dreams were about her friends, and the Doctor, though the two Doctors frequently blurred into one. Occasionally, the tall, Scottish Doctor would speak in that feminine, Yorkshire accent she knew so well because her mind was still struggling with the idea that they were the same person. Then, she’d have the haunting image of Clara floating around in her subconscious, and her mind was drifting onto her as she was pulled awake. 

“…Yaz, wakey wakey. You can’t be sleeping that deep, we’ve only been in the truck for an hour. And you and I both know you snore,” came the Doctor’s voice, drifting through her dream. 

His voice drilled into her unconsciousness, bringing the headache back to reality. Her head thudded each time the truck drove over uneven ground, and she winced before being able to face whatever the Doctor’s urgency was about. 

Yasmin pried her heavy eyes open with a sigh, “You’re not the most soothing alarm clock.” 

Her vision cleared as she blinked rapidly, finding the Doctor lying beside her. He was propped up on his elbow, his clothes neither ruffled or creased. Yasmin knew Time Lords barely slept in comparison to humans, but she felt tired just looking at him. 

“Well, this isn’t exactly a soothing morning. Our driver just stopped the truck to come tell us that we’re about to enter the edge of the Circle, which isn’t far from where he’s leaving us. It’s dark, too, so we don’t know what’s lurking around. You need to be awake in case there’s trouble, I’m not carrying you away from a corrupted government,” said the Doctor. 

She hadn’t forgotten where they were, of course, but she had forgotten the sense of urgency. She went to sit up, but remembered the creature’s warning, and laid back down. 

“Did you get any sleep?” she asked, punctuating her question with a yawn. She hadn’t wanted to bring up what she had seen during the night, so instead just wondered how long he had sat there at the edge of the truck.

The Doctor cleared his throat, “Well, someone had to be the look-out. There’s you blindly trusting someone we’ve never met, it’s like I’ve taught you nothing.” 

Yasmin rolled her eyes, “Lucky I have you to keep me in check, then.” 

“As always. Our driver said we need to avoid any lights, don’t touch any fences, definitely don’t talk to anyone, and stay low. Sounds easy enough, I’m stealthy and you’re…short,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin cringed, “If our success is relying on your subtlety and my height then I say we don’t stand a chance.” 

The Doctor shrugged, “We’ve had worse odds. Now, here’s the plan. Shut up, run when I tell you to and don’t do anything stupid.” 

He ignored her response and peeked under the blanket they were both hidden under so that he could see their surroundings. Yasmin did the same, watching under his arm. 

She looked around to the stars that dotted the skies above them. The sky seemed lighter than it had before she’d fallen asleep; the smooth blue like the calm before the storm. Yasmin looked up above her and noticed the bright stars the Doctor had been talking to had faded into the night. She decided that they were definitely getting closer to the Circle as roads began to form beneath them. The sand was now concrete and Yasmin felt finally freed from the heat. 

Yasmin wished she could feel the excitement the Doctor felt as they moved closer and closer. The Doctor seemed to be imagining a great, powerful place ahead of them, but all Yasmin could picture in her mind was a dystopian city, like from the books she had read as a teenager, with tall dark buildings and tall dark figures. 

As they approached the Circle, it turned out that Yasmin wasn’t far off the reality. The truck shuddered and squeaked as it came to a stop, parked in the cover of some trees and bushes. Just ahead of them, tall fences signalled the entrance to the Circle, taller than both the Doctor and Yasmin combined. 

Their driver stepped out of the vehicle after looking around carefully, making sure no one was around them. He shut the door of his truck quietly, but the sound still echoed before becoming lost in the whispering of the trees. He unlocked the back of the truck, pulling the side down so that the Doctor and Yasmin would be able to jump down. They freed themselves from the blankets and stepped down beside the creature, their legs happy to be stretched. 

“How do we get closer?” asked Yasmin in a whisper, knowing she’d be unable to climb over the fences. 

“This is the outskirts of the Circle. You won’t be seen here, even the guards don’t reach this far, so you’ll be safe. There are gaps in the fence, mostly caused by soldiers training or weaponry being practiced with, which would be the easiest way to sneak in. Just don’t touch the fences, or all of this will be for nothing,” warned the creature. 

The Doctor clapped his hands together, “Perfect. Once we get into the Circle, what will we find? Best to be prepared, it’s the slowest way to die.” 

The creature shook his head, “There are acres and acres of land first. Then, you will find either the camps or the training ground. Either one leads straight into the inner city. That’s where you’ll find your answers, and your friends.” 

“Thank you for your help. I hope we can fix your planet to thank you properly. Until the next time, Pudding Brain,” said the Doctor, holding his hand out for the creature to shake. 

The creature looked confused and refused to shake his hand. Instead, he offered a salute, one that lasted an uncomfortable minute, before climbing back into the safety of his truck. It left them there, alone, and they wondered if it had faith that it would ever see them again. 

“Doctor, I don’t like the sound of those fences,” said Yasmin with a shudder, walking up and seeing the electricity dance over the metal and the sharp spikes that lined it. 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” said the Doctor with a wave of his hand, “even your planet has them. Your prisons are surrounded by them, barbaric, really. I got such a good shock last time I tried to escape.” 

Forgetting her nerves, she smiled, “You got locked up once, did you? Is that why you hate cops?” 

“No, I hate cops because you think with fear, not care. And yes, you humans really don’t cut me any slack considering how many times I’ve saved your planet.” 

“Well, what do you want? A national holiday?” said Yasmin. 

“You know I actually have my own holiday on ten other planets. Yours is just ungrateful,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin laughed, stepping careful beside the Doctor. She was walking along the side of the fence, slightly behind the Doctor, forgetting their conversation to focus on what was ahead. 

Yasmin watched her side carefully as they walked along the electric fence. The Doctor had thought that it may lead to somewhere, perhaps closer to the inner city, but Yasmin was just afraid of it. She wondered what was so important about the Circle that it had to have a lethal fence marking its territory. It looked more brutal than anything she’d ever seen on Earth, but knew that was likely where it came from, and she shuddered at the brutality of her own future species. 

“Look, our friend knows what it’s talking about. Gap looks about big enough for us both, but it’s still electric. Don’t touch it, we don’t know how powerful it is,” said the Doctor. 

“Looks pretty powerful to me,” gulped Yasmin. 

“Oh, don’t be such a baby. You go first.” 

"Why can't you?" huffed Yasmin.

"Because I'm the one with the plan. Now, chop, chop." 

Yasmin got on her hands and knees, eying up the gap in the fence. It looked big enough for a person, definitely, but she didn’t like the thought of getting caught in it. With the Doctor’s encouragement, she fell onto her stomach, her humiliation growing, and shuffled through the gap in the fence. She fit snugly but avoided any contact with it and sighed with relief as she sprang to her feet on the other side. 

“I did it,” she grinned. 

“Shush,” hissed the Doctor as he fell onto his stomach after her. 

He shuffled through more gracefully than she did, jumping up onto his feet once he was stood beside her and brushed himself down. 

“Why didn’t we just find a gate and sonic it open?” asked Yasmin. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “That definitely wouldn’t have been suspicious, would it? Now, hurry up, we can’t risk just standing here.” 

She had been concentrating so fiercely on the fence and the threat it posed that she had almost missed the noise she had heard from behind her. Minutes earlier, she had heard a snapped twig, but nothing had come from it. Now, she heard what sounded like a footstep. She turned to the side and caught a glimpse of a shadow that stalked behind them. Her breath caught in her throat. 

“Doctor, we’re being followed,” whispered Yasmin, trying to remain calm. 

“Yes,” said the Doctor, with a hint of annoyance, “I can see that. We have been since the truck stopped; there was a figure watching us that I hadn’t noticed. Saw it's face in the light of the truck as it drove off, decided not to worry you with it." 

"What do we do?" asked Yasmin.

"If we run now, our only option is to run towards the inner city. We don’t stand a chance there, especially not if someone has spotted us. It’s too dark to go back into the desert now, let alone too far away. Our only choice is to stay calm. We've talked them down before, haven't we? Beda, and our driver?” 

“Maybe it’s just the Doctor…or Graham…or Ryan,” said Yasmin, the pitch of her voice raising. 

The Doctor flashed her a look, “Yeah, doubt it, but whatever makes you feel better.” 

Yasmin glanced to the side and saw the creature moving from the shadows into view. Whatever it wanted, it seemed to enjoy the fact that Yasmin and the Doctor were panicked. It watched their pace quicken, and their fearful whispering with what looked like a smile. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” said Yasmin after noticing the look on the Doctor’s face, “please tell me that isn’t the plan?” 

“You can’t know what I’m thinking.” 

“You’re thinking,” said Yasmin with folded arms, “that you want to confront them. You want to run over there and ask why they haven’t killed us yet, because you think soldiers who find enemies on their territory are expected to shoot on sight, not stalk. You want to know why we’re different.” 

The Doctor gave her a sheepish shrug and didn’t answer her question. Instead, he broke out into a run towards the creature, who seemed surprised at the confrontation. Yasmin sighed but followed in a shy jog behind him, copying him as he rose his hands in defence. 

“We aren’t going to hurt you! Just tell us what you want,” said the Doctor, wondering if they had been lucky enough to encounter someone friendly. 

“Doctor,” said Yasmin, her voice cracking, as the creature ignored the Doctor and stormed up to her. She was too shocked to move, but she did glance back, knowing she had no-where to run. 

The creature was dressed in a smart uniform, weapons in his belt like trophies. He was definitely a Solitudin, but he looked more intelligent than the ones from the outside, and too violent to be from the village. He unnerved Yasmin as he approached her, a hostile gleam in his eye. 

"Don't move," the creature growled. 

“Yaz, stay calm,” the Doctor warned, but the comfort came in vain. She had no-where to turn, and she was panicking. 

Yasmin scanned the area wildly, her eyes flickering from the creature ahead of her, to the fence behind her, and then to the Doctor. The fence behind her sparkled with electricity, much stronger than the ones on Earth, and Yasmin didn’t even want to imagine what would happen to her if she walked into it. She couldn’t walk away, either, because the creature blocked her way. If she moved, she worried he would push her back. 

“It’s okay,” said the Doctor, watching as her panic grew. 

Yasmin was backed too close to the fence for her to feel any sort of comfort from the Doctor’s words. The heat from the electricity was threatening to scorch her back as she stepped back, an inch from being electrocuted. She knew the figure in front of her wanted her to back into it, to watch her force herself into the fence. Instead, with a deep nervous breath, she stood her ground. 

“Who are you?” asked Yasmin, with a gulp. 

“My name is Canow, member of the Circle. The same cannot be said for you, though, can it Earth Girl?” spat the figure in front of her. 

“We don’t want any trouble, Canow,” said the Doctor, as firmly as he could manage, though he realised they both knew that if they wanted to avoid trouble, they wouldn’t have snuck into the Circle. 

“We both know that’s not true, no one comes here looking for peace and quiet,” said Canow, his eyes flickering briefly from Yasmin to the Doctor. 

“Well, we’re the ambassadors for peace and quiet, promise,” said the Doctor, who looked as though he was beginning to get nervous. 

“No one on this planet is either of those things! This planet hasn’t known peace and quiet since its birth!” shouted Canow, venom in his words. 

His voice, as angry as it was, seemed to act as a trigger for whoever had been keeping an eye on them. The Doctor and Yasmin heard two more voices in the distance, just as threatening as Canow’s. 

Yasmin flinched when two more of the creatures stormed up from behind Canow, guns in belts, shouting abuse. They wore uniforms similar to Canow’s, in a strange combination of sand-yellow and velvet black. Yasmin’s eyes were drawn to the red embroidered circle on the breast of their clothes, and she knew immediately who they aligned themselves with. They appeared out of no-where, like they were part of a nightmare, and stood either side of the Doctor. Like Yasmin, he was now trapped. 

“How did you manage to escape?” asked Canow, eying Yasmin up and down in hopes of finding some clue. 

“I can’t remember,” shrugged Yasmin, looking into his eyes to prove that she wasn’t lying. 

“Likely story. People don’t just wander away from the Circle, so what’s so special about you? It shouldn’t even be possible, not even members of the Circle can walk away unnoticed.” 

“Treating her like a criminal isn’t going to help you at all, is it?” scoffed the Doctor, ignoring the warning looks from the soldiers beside him. 

“We treated her as a guest last time, and look where that got us,” said Canow. 

“So, what are you going to do? What do you want her for? Hurting one person from Earth isn’t exactly going to teach them a lesson, is it?” said the Doctor. 

“Earthlings have been banned from this planet and by stepping foot here, you have disrespected us. We offered you safety, and you and your friends chose to become criminals. We will teach your kind to stop coming here unless they can prepare for war,” said Canow. 

Then, he continued with a smile, “Now, this next part will go much more smoothly for you if you stay still. You are a marvel to our leaders, but that doesn’t mean they will mind if you return to them a little bruised.” 

Yasmin gulped, and looked to the Doctor, whose face was expressionless. 

Canow reached for his belt, his hands grazing over a gun, a taser and a badge for a small cloth bag. It looked as though it held a pen inside, or something of a similar size. Yasmin jerked her head back, narrowly missing the fence behind it, when he untied the bag from his belt. Yasmin looked over his shoulder to the Doctor, who was now held by the arms by the two soldiers beside him. 

“Canow, just let her go now. She doesn’t mean any harm,” growled the Doctor. 

Canow stopped fiddling with the bag in his hands to glance back at the Doctor, “Now, I’m getting very tired of being lied to. You, my friend, are a mystery, but I’ve seen this one before. In fact, you’re famous around the Circle. The one who got away, only one who’s ever managed to, in fact. It’s a gift to have you land right back into my hands, the Circle Leaders will be so pleased.”

“I’m not a gift for your leaders,” scoffed Yasmin, increasingly frustrated that her mind continued to protect her from her memories. At least, then, she’d have some way to prepare for whatever was ahead. 

“That’s not something for the criminal to decide, is it?” said Canow, opening up the bag in his hand and pulling the object out, close enough to Yasmin’s face for it to graze her nose. 

Yasmin was surprised to find that the object did, in fact, resemble a pen. Except, Canow removed the cap, and his thumb found the syringe, and she realised that she couldn’t have been more wrong. It wasn’t like she’d never seen anything like it before, considering it was most likely created on Earth, but she had only ever seen one in doctor’s rooms or in evidence bags. Before, she had considered that a blessing. 

“Stop, stop, stop!” she cried, her entire body tensing as could only imagine what the reddish liquid in her eyeline contained. 

“Don’t do this, Canow!” shouted the Doctor, only to have one soldier’s hand placed over his mouth and the other’s hand around his neck to keep him still. 

He watched in horror as Canow roughly grabbed a hold of Yasmin’s trembling arm, twisting it so her palm faced the sky. He pulled her arm to straighten it, and Yasmin could already feel the fingertip-shaped bruises forming on her skin. Without any warning, Yasmin found the sharp needle pressed down into her vein and she screamed out in both pain and worry when the red liquid dispersed into her body. It was much colder than she had expected, and it filled her body with a sort of frozen dread. 

“What was in that?” asked Yasmin as her arm grew heavy and Canow dropped it so that he could put the syringe back in his belt of weapons. Her arm swung at her side, and she rapidly lost feeling in it. 

“Just something to make you complacent. We’ve seen all too clearly how slippery you are, and I can’t take any more chances,” said Canow. 

“What was in it?” asked the Doctor, the anger in his voice heard even behind the hand that stopped him from shouting in protest.

“Nothing that will kill her,” said Canow, with a graceful flick of his hand, “remember, we Solitudins are not much different to Earthlings, biologically speaking at least. You don’t have to worry, your time will come, and you’ll find out for yourself.” 

The threat made the Doctor pale, but he worsened when he saw Yasmin. Her pupils had become dilated, and her breathing shallow, but she watched Canow nervously and dug her feet into the ground so that she wouldn’t stumble back. 

“You can’t use that on him,” slurred Yasmin, all too aware that, although he looked like he was from Earth, he couldn’t be more different. 

Canow leaned in close to her, “You don’t get a say. Don’t waste your precious breath on empty threats, save it for something worthwhile.” 

Yasmin shut her mouth, trying not to show him that she was struggling to breathe, and words were becoming harder to pronounce as her mouth grew drier. 

“Canow,” said the Doctor, his voice like stone, “you don’t want to make me angry. I can promise you, you wouldn’t like it. And what’s making me angry right now is that you didn’t even give me time to deliver my ‘if you harm a hair on her head…’ speech before you went and did it anyway. If you don’t let me take a look at her, you’ll regret it.” 

“Who are you,” boomed Canow, “to speak so highly of yourself? The Circle does not fear those from Earth, we destroy them. You will be arrested for aiding a criminal, don’t think we can’t put a price on your life too.” 

“Oh, trust me,” said the Doctor through gritted teeth, “we’re both priceless.” 

“To our war efforts, yes, you are. Strewing your bodies across our land like we raise flags will be the start of our revolution,” said Canow. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “Why am I not surprised that you want to start a war? Isn’t that always what you people want?” 

“Doctor ‘nough arguing,” said Yasmin, in a quiet voice, as the raised voices hurt her head. The Doctor looked at her with worry. 

“How you feeling?” he asked, forgetting all about Canow. 

“Yeah,” she answered shakily, “fine.”

The world fell crumbling around her, and Yasmin lost all sense of her surroundings. The threat of the creature in front of her, the electricity humming behind her, and the calmness of the Doctor’s voice were all lost as darkness crept in rapidly, like someone had thrown a heavy blanket over her head. 

Yasmin’s pained body felt weightless as it felt as though the sky and the ground were pushing together to crush her in between. Her legs could no longer support her and they buckled beneath her, just as her eyes rolled back. She stayed conscious for just a moment, enough to feel the suffocating fear that she was about to fall into an electric fence in front of the man who would become the woman so afraid to lose her. 

Her blurred, dotted vision saw the Doctor break violently from the hold of the two soldiers, managing to cause enough of a distraction to catch Yasmin in his arms before she fell. He picked her up carefully like she was a doll, one arm braced under her shaking legs and another on her back. She breathed a sigh of relief as she looked up at her saviour as he was whisked off her feet. He spun her away from the fence when her limp legs got dangerously to it. 

“Thanks,” she croaked, eying the hissing electric fence from the corner of her eye. 

She looked up at the Doctor’s face. It swirled and moved in and out of focus to the point where Yasmin had to blink until she was sure he was still there, but she could still see the worry on his face as clear as day. He had noticed the soldiers and Canow approaching them, but Yasmin hadn’t. 

“Stay safe, okay?” whispered the Doctor, who didn’t look at her, but kept his eyes gravely trained on Canow. 

Yasmin’s head rolled onto the Doctor’s shoulder as she let out a lengthy deep breath. Her eyes once again rolled back as the darkness came back, just as strong as before. One hand fell limp by her side and the other wrapped around his neck. Her grip on him loosened and she missed whatever comfort he had spoken to her. 

She stayed unconscious for a while, and each time her mind found its way from the drugged haze the rest of her body would refuse to join it. Instead, she would lie, paralysed, trying to listen out for whatever was around her. Her mind refused to let herself wake up, or even fight back, so she just relaxed as the lure of sleep claimed her again. 

When eventually her eyes managed to cooperate with the rest of her body, and the drug that had forced them shut began to wear off, she blinked them open. Her entire body felt as though she was weighted down, and the exhaustion of her limbs made her wonder if she’d dreamt the journey they’d had on the truck. Everything cleared and she realised she hadn’t, but that she was in danger. She pressed her head down onto the cool ground as a wave of heat flushed her body. 

As Yasmin came too, and the hazy blur of her mind began to clear, she realised, with a sinking, panicked feeling, that something that triggered the fragmented memories swimming in her mind to piece themselves together. Maybe it was being away from the Doctor’s protection, or being brought back to the Circle, but things were beginning to, painfully, make sense again. It was only a matter of time before everything came crashing back into her head as the dam broke down. 

Yasmin slowly turned her head to the side, her eyes widening. She hadn’t noticed before. Yasmin hadn’t noticed that the Doctor had, at some point, put her down. And now, he was gone, and she was alone.


	8. Something Old, Something New

“Doctor?” she called out, though she knew it was useless. Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, Yasmin had lost hours, maybe even days, and knew he could be anywhere by now. 

Panic bubbled as she wondered feverishly what had happened to him. She played his voice back in her head, he had sounded so scared. She’d thought it was for her, but maybe it was for himself. Would they treat him the same, once they realise he isn’t from Earth? Yasmin didn’t know if that was an advantage for him, or a disadvantage. Considering how they’d captured Earth’s guardian in their claws, she decided it was probably the second. 

Yasmin’s back was pressed against one wall, and her feet against the opposite one; legs pulled up to her chest. She had no room to move, or even breathe, so she squeezed her eyes closed to try and calm herself. It felt as though she had the worst hang over of her life but managed to shift onto her knees in an awkward shuffle. 

Her hands grazed the cold concrete of the walls, and her legs shivered against the concrete on the ground. She felt as though she was trapped inside of a cinder block. Yasmin did notice, however, that there seemed to be two bordered up windows on two adjacent walls. One to the side of her was filled with multicoloured bricks and the other, in front of her, was covered by what looked like a metal grate, similar to the ones found on police cell doors. She stared from one to the other, wondering where she was. 

Yasmin winced when the ragged concrete dug into her shoulder. She peeled back layers of clothes to see the cut that lay underneath. She brushed her finger over it, noticing how it had been jarred and bruised by the rough hands of the Solitudins. Yasmin supposed she had much worse things to worry about. 

Banging her boot against the concrete wall, Yasmin hoped she’d be able to create some noise. She couldn’t see any cameras or anything but knew someone must be waiting for her to wake up. It seemed like, to the Circle, her death was a trophy and she knew someone would have to come and collect it. After all, she wasn’t dead yet. 

“Hello?” she called out, though her voice was hoarse, “I’m not dead yet, if that means anything to anyone.” 

She heard no reply, and she sighed. Her foot kept kicking the wall, as if she would be able to chip at it, eventually knocking it down. But her feet were already growing tired, like the rest of her body, and she was using any energy she had to keep the memories back. She wanted them, needed them even, but she couldn’t think straight if they all came flooding through. And she needed to escape. 

Her headache built and she whimpered in frustration, “Please, not now!” 

Yasmin thought she heard movement from outside and guessed that the concrete walls couldn’t have been too thick, if they weren’t soundproof. She listened again, finding that the source of the sound was close, and on the other side of the grate in front of her. She listened in, curious, but jumped back in surprise when a latch lifted and the grate was loudly slid open. 

“It usually takes our kind a lot longer to go insane in one of our cells, but I suppose we all know your kind is the inferior. So unevolved,” came a voice from the other side of the grate. 

Once the grate had opened, Yasmin could see light on the other side. She noticed she was in some sort of facility, and that her cell wasn’t the only one in the building. It all felt oddly familiar, but she suppressed the thought and shuddered. Then, a face blocked her view and the taste of freedom was gone. 

“Oh, so this is your fault then is it, Canow?” she asked when his face became clearer in her vision. 

“Hunting is what I do, Earth girl. Brought you to the Circle like a cat with a mouse in his teeth. You shouldn’t sound so surprised,” said Canow. 

“I’m not surprised, just disappointed. Where are we now, then?” asked Yasmin. 

“I brought you to the inner city, you won’t be able to escape the Circle Leaders again, they’ll make sure of it. Our medical facility took a look at you, been through it, haven’t you? Your injuries tell quite a story. Don’t worry, though, we had another tracker lying around to replace the one those barbarians removed,” asked Canow. 

Yasmin reached back, which was a struggle, and fumbled underneath the jacket she wore. Where the stitches had once been, she now found a small bump, which she assumed was the tracker. It hurt when she pressed down on it, and it made her skin crawl as she pictured the device. She didn’t stay focused on it for too long, as questions burned in her mind. 

“About that, what happened?” asked Yasmin, the story not clear in her head, “Have we met before?” 

Canow tutted, “Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to, it’s insulting.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing, I don’t know the answer. I can’t remember a bloody thing, but whatever you injected me with is making it hard to keep it that way, so just tell me before my head forces it out,” cried Yasmin. 

Canow looked sceptical, but explained, “We met quite a while ago, four of you were in the Circle. Apparently, your ship landed right in the camps, soldiers nearly shot you dead there and then. They took the right procedures, put trackers on you and that, but your female friend is quite something. I can see where you learned your tricks from. Followed the trackers back to the village and took you from those outside the village, in exchange for their lives.” 

“My friends…where are they? What have you done with the Doctor, where he is?” asked Yasmin. 

“Don’t think just because you got me talking, you’re in charge. You’re the one in the cell. I will be back to escort you to the Leaders, once they’ve decided what to do with you,” said Canow, his hand reaching for the grate, “Oh, and don’t worry about your friends. Wherever they are, you’ll all end up in the same way eventually. Dead.” 

With that, and not a chance for Yasmin to counter, he slammed the grate shut again and latched it closed. She listened for his footsteps as he stormed away, wondering when the next time she’d hear anyone would be. 

She frowned. The camps were clear in her mind, like a picture in a book, but she couldn’t see anyone there. She couldn’t even see the TARDIS. She really missed the TARDIS. Yasmin could picture the gun to her head as she stepped out of the TARDIS doors, sunglasses over her eyes and leather jacket around her waist. She saw four pairs of hands raised in surrender and then, with a blink, the memory faded back to where it belonged in her head. 

Alone, she allowed herself to lie back. Her head spun as whatever was in her system worked its way through. She supposed she should’ve just been grateful that it hadn’t been poison. Though, she couldn’t be sure of that yet, considering how her stomach churned. She knew that they wanted to make a spectacle of her death. Yasmin wondered if it would be like a celebration, Solitudins gathered to watch her squirm. She silently prayed that the Doctor would have been shown the same fate, as she knew even a moment of hesitation would be enough for him to think of a plan. 

Yasmin laughed quietly to herself. How strange she found it that she’d only known him for a matter of days and was already sure she knew him. He had a block on his mind like she did, only he was the one keeping everything locked away. And yet, she felt as though she knew him even more than her own Doctor. He displayed his detachment for her to see, but Yasmin hadn’t even known her Doctor’s was there. 

“You better be alright, you stupid old man,” she whispered, looking up at the ceiling. She had no idea what had happened to him, though she supposed she should be getting used to that by now. 

Maybe he was locked up somewhere, wondering the same about her. Or maybe he’d already escaped. She hadn’t been able to see anything through the metal grate when Canow had opened it. Just rows of empty cells, which she guessed was because they didn’t keep criminals alive for very long. There was no sign of the Doctor anywhere, she concluded, defeatedly, as she rubbed her arms to keep warm. She hadn’t thought she’d ever be cold again, and now regretted wishing for it. 

A whisper drifted into the room, like a voice Yasmin couldn’t quite put her finger on. She wondered if there was a draft, or a breeze, until she remembered that she was trapped in a concrete room. Yasmin leaned across and put a hand up to the metal grate, feeling for air with a frown, but she found nothing. 

“Canow?” asked Yasmin, pressing up close to the grate. She remembered his threat and wondered if he was coming back to deliver on it. The sound came again, but it wasn’t coming from the other side of the grate. 

“What is that?” she mumbled to herself, eyes following every scratch in the wall, every mark and every stain that marred the cell she was trapped in. 

At first, Yasmin thought the muffled voice and scratching was in her head. She wondered if it was a part of a memory, or maybe she was just going insane. She inspected the walls for hallucinations but, thankfully, found none. Her eyebrows furrowed as she wondered where it was coming from. She perked up, suddenly on edge when the sound grew louder. 

Then, one of the bricks that bordered up the window in the wall beside her fell through, landing just beside her leg, and she shrieked. Yasmin tried to jump away, to protect herself, but she couldn’t even move in the box-sized room. Waving her hand to clear the dust from the brick that had suddenly gathered in the air, she coughed until her lungs cleared. Her eyes flew to the brick that invaded her cell, and she noticed it looked like someone had taken a chisel to it. 

“Sorry, tried to warn ya,” came the voice from the other side of the concrete wall, now visible once they removed more bricks from the window, this time putting them in their own cell. 

“Who’s there?” asked Yasmin, blindly unaware of whether or not the person on the other side would want to help her or hurt her. She’d been hurt enough for one life-time, she decided. Though, she didn’t expect the polite voice she’d heard from any Solitudin, or criminal for that matter. 

“It’s me, Yaz.” 

Yasmin froze for a moment, but her legs worked faster than her brain did, because they dragged her upright as soon as the voice had echoed through her cell. She wasn’t really sure how to react, or if it was even real, but either way she moved on her unsteady legs up towards the window, where she found Graham staring at her. 

“Graham!” she half whispered, half sobbed, as she looked at the man she hadn’t been sure she’d ever see again. He looked weary, tired, but unharmed and Yasmin breathed a heavy sigh of relief at the sight of him. All the scenarios that had run around her head every night had finally quietened as she was finally able to see him. 

She tried instinctively to reach over and hug him, but the window that separated them wasn’t big enough. Instead, she just grinned up at him, hoping that would have the same effect. 

“Oh, love, I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so worried! Where’ve you been?” said Graham, who looked just as relieved as she felt. 

“That’s a really long story, but I’m not the one who’s been trapped in here. Have they hurt you at all? I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Yasmin bitterly, feeling the sting of the injection sight in her arm and the ghost of brutal hands on her body. 

“No, no. Left me alone, mostly. They’ve just had me caged in here, some new goon checking on me every few hours. Been chipping away at the bricks ever since. Knew I had to find something to do. I couldn’t believe it when they got your cell ready, talking about a ‘girl from Earth’ they’d caught. I knew it had to be you.” said Graham. 

Yasmin smiled fondly, “The one and only. When you were brought here, did you see anything? Where are we?” 

Graham frowned, “It’s pretty hazy, to be honest with you. There were the camps; more tents and weapons than I’ve ever seen in my life. Then there’s this massive government building, might as well be a castle, that’s where we are. Actually, we’re underneath it.” 

“What,” asked Yasmin, “like a lair for criminals?” 

Graham nodded, “Something like that, probably more of an underground prison, though.”

“I’m sorry you’ve been on your own,” said Yasmin, looking down at the ground. Somewhere, deep down, she had thought that she’d be able to save him. She thought she’d be able to find Ryan, to free Graham and to prove the Doctor wrong. Maybe she was just doomed to repeat the same mistakes from before, the ones she couldn’t remember making. 

“Hey, what about you? I heard that git talking to you, sounds like you’ve been to hell and back. I kept thinking about where you were, driving myself insane with it,” Graham said softly, without even a breath. 

“Nothing I can’t handle. Smart enough to survive, not smart enough to avoid getting caught,” shrugged Yasmin with a weak laugh. 

“That’s how it usually goes with us,” Graham laughed back, and for just a moment Yasmin wondered how she’d managed to get on without him. It made her miss the others, and she felt a pang of sadness as she wondered where they were. 

“Feels like it hasn’t been the four of us for a lifetime, doesn’t it?” said Yasmin with a sigh. 

“You know what? While I was sat in here, I was thinking, I don’t think there’s anyone better to have hope in than you. I thought, if anyone’s gonna be alright, it’s gonna be Yaz. You’re brilliant, and between you and me, we’re gonna get out of here.” 

Yasmin smile, “When did you turn to optimism? What did they do to you?” 

Graham reached his hand through to Yasmin. She could see that his hand was scratched up from where he had been loosening the bricks and she winced at the blood crusted under his nails. He reached over and caressed her cheek with his hand, gently stroking her with his thumb. It was such a comforting, fatherly gesture that she nearly sent tears rolling down her cheeks. She leaned into the touch, squeezing her eyes closed. 

“Missed you,” he spoke softly. 

“I can’t believe you’re okay,” whispered Yasmin, opening her eyes to look into his; which gleamed with a kindness she had missed more than she had realised. 

“Course I am, just been stuck here for days. You’re lucky you have short legs, pretty sure someone’s gonna have to cut mine off to get me out of here,” said Graham. 

“We’ll arrange that,” Yasmin laughed, though her smile faltered, and she suddenly looked much sadder as the tears fell from her cheeks.

“What’s wrong? This is the happiest I’ve been in days, what’s ruined the reunion?” asked Graham softly. 

Yasmin looked at him carefully, “Graham…please, I need some answers. I need you to talk to me.” 

“I’m not sure what I can tell you, not much gossip in the cells.”

“It’s…something happened to me, before I escaped. The Doctor, she blocked my memory, hid everything from me. It’s coming back, slowly, but she really didn’t want me to remember. She didn’t even want me to come back. Tell me the truth… where is she? And where’s Ryan?” 

Graham withdrew his hand like it had been burned. It fell to his side, clenched into a fist, like he was trying to give nothing away. He looked so shocked, and so sad, that Yasmin almost regretted asking him. His eyes widened for just a moment, but then they looked down to his feet. 

She wondered, for a brief moment, when she noticed that he wasn’t telling her something, if she should just allow the flood of memories to wash over her. The frustration grew more and more with each secret that was kept from her. But the Doctor’s voice rang through her head and the thought of ignoring her warning of her mind burning up if she didn’t let the memories come back slowly kept the barrier up.

“So, you really can’t remember anything?” asked Graham, sympathy in his voice. 

“Nothing useful. Someone might as well be showing me pictures from a storybook and telling me I’ve lived it,” said Yasmin. 

For a second, she thought she saw relief in Graham’s eyes. 

“No need to worry about that now, love. How about you and I try to get out of here, instead? I can sit here all day, but I’m not letting you do the same. So, come on, any ideas?” asked Graham, his smile stretched and forced. 

Yasmin thought about it for a moment. All she could focus on was the expression that had flickered onto Graham’s face just moments before. She still couldn’t remember anything, but there was a sense of sadness that rose to the surface, and she didn’t want to think about it. Instead, she allowed herself to follow Graham’s distraction and tried to figure out an escape plan. 

“Wait! I have the Doctor’s sonic!” Yasmin cried out in relief, fumbling for her pockets. She felt a pang of sadness as she looked down at the jacket she adorned. It wasn’t a comfort anymore, not with all the worry she felt. She shook her head, feeling inside all of the pockets, knowing she had to get out of the cell if she was to find him again. 

“No,” she sighed, defeated, when she noticed that her pocket was empty, “I don’t. Canow must’ve taken it off me when they brought me here.” 

“Is Canow that bloke who was tormenting you earlier?” asked Graham. 

“Yeah, part of the Circle’s army, and definitely not a big fan of Earth. What did you do to upset them?” asked Yasmin. 

Graham cleared his throat, “Just bein’ here was the disrespect. Seem to think the only people who come to this planet want a war. They really don’t like being told that the reason we’re here is because none of us know how to pilot a ship without crashing it.” 

Yasmin sighed, “Should’ve guessed, we really need to take someone to a driving course. Who’s fault was it, anyway?” 

Graham grimaced, “You probably don’t want the answer to that, Yaz.” 

Embarrassed, Yasmin tugged at her sleeves, “Oh.” 

“Hey, where’d you get the snazzy jacket from? Haven’t seen the aliens walking around with anything like that,” asked Graham, noticing how she hugged the fabric close to her body. 

“Another long story, pretty good one actually,” smiled Yasmin. 

She put her hands in the pockets, feeling a bubbling excitement to tell Graham about what she had seen the past few days, but she became distracted by the rustle of paper inside the pocket she hadn’t checked before. Yasmin pulled the piece of paper from her pocket, knowing it hadn’t been there before. 

“What you found?” asked Graham, straining so he could see. 

Yasmin unfolded the crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and brought it up so both herself and Graham could see it. Scribbled in rushed, messy handwriting, she found a note. The words felt as though he was whispering in her ear, telling her that she was safe. She couldn’t hold back the heavy sigh of relief, and Graham looked at her quizzically. 

_‘Hang in there’_

“What does it mean?” asked Graham, who was growing increasingly confused as to why Yasmin grinned. 

“It means there’s someone I need to introduce you to, I just hope he’s as good at plans as he says he is. Don’t worry about it, I have a feeling he isn’t all just ego,” smiled Yasmin, bringing the paper up to her face. She read the message again, tracing over the cursive with her finger. Gently, she folded the note in half and placed in back in her pocket, careful not to crumble her message of hope.


	9. The Healer's Apprentice

No one had ventured into the cells for a long time. For Yasmin, it was too long. She thought it either meant that the leaders couldn’t decide what to do with her, or that they were preoccupied with someone else. She hoped, if it was the Doctor, then he’d be smart enough to not to sacrifice himself for her by making himself their new target. The thought brought her anxiety bubbling back to the surface so she hugged her knees to her chest and pushed the thought away. 

“What you thinking about, kiddo?” came the echoed voice of Graham from the other cell. 

Yasmin glanced up, seeing the top of his head from the window and sighed, “We need to get out of here. This is the first time I’ve stopped moving in days, Graham, I feel so useless.” 

Graham chuckled bitterly, “How do you think I felt, cooped up in here wondering about you. What were you doing? I mean, word got around that you’d escaped, but no one knew what happened.” 

“Well, I don’t remember, not exactly. Last thing I remember is running through the deserts. I’ve been trying to get back here ever since, to find you all. We found all kinds of Solitudins, I shouldn’t be surprised that their politics are just as confusing as ours, though. They want us dead, Graham, even the ones who want peace would kill us for it.” 

“That’s the thing,” said Graham, “even people who want peace would disrupt everyone else’s peace for it.” 

“Is this what Earth’s like, you know, in the future?” asked Yasmin. 

“Well, I’m not exactly the Doctor, so I can only guess. But I would imagine Earth is just as much a war zone as this place,” said Graham. 

“Yeah,” said Yasmin quietly, “I imagine you’re right, but I never want to find out, though.” 

“If we ever go to another planet again, I want it to be the countryside, with horses and alien crops. Or maybe go find a lakeside and go fishing and sailing. You know, somewhere peaceful, quiet,” said Graham. 

“What do you mean, if? We’ll be back together in no time,” said Yasmin, as positively as she could manage. 

Graham fell quiet. Yasmin considered questioning him or encouraging him to tell her all of the places he so desperately wanted to visit, but instead she allowed him to remain silent. She rested her cheek on the concrete wall, wondering if maybe she should try and get some sleep. She found that she couldn’t sleep comfortably with the coat that was draped around her body, because she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop thinking of the man it belonged to. While Graham slept, she’d watch over him, staring over the window in the cell wall as if she would be able to protect him. In truth, she felt just as helpless as he did. Now, she left him with whatever thoughts he refused to share with her and stared into the concrete wall beside her. 

When Graham finally spoke up again, after what seemed like hours, he said, “I think someone’s coming.” 

Yasmin stood up to see what he meant and found that she could hear loud rattling from the other side of the cell door. She braced her back against the wall so that she was as far away from the door as possible. She had been expecting someone to come in and take her away, eventually, but she felt terrified at the thought now. 

The grate on the door slid open violently and a face came into view. She watched as they observed her like a zoo animal from the other side of the door. The face that confronted her brought a strange mixture of fear and resentment, as if she couldn’t decide whether she should fight or hide. She wondered if fighting was her only option, now that she was trapped in a cell, but decided she would only lose. Only because she was the one without a gun. 

“It’s been a while since you paid us a visit,” commented Yasmin, trying to make her voice as deadpan as possible. 

“Yes, well, I thought it was a bit rude that I hadn’t come to see my most valued prisoner yet. The soldiers wanted to come and see you but, you know, can’t trust any of them,” came the reply. 

“You’re their captain, aren’t you? How do you plan to start a war when you can’t even trust those who fight with you?” said Yasmin. 

The Solitudin who had come to visit her, Canow, raised an eyebrow, “Clearly, you’re a follower and not a leader. Or else you’d know what it feels like to be betrayed.” 

“Pretty sure a good leader doesn’t get betrayed,” countered Yasmin. 

“On our planet, everyone betrays everyone. Don’t pretend it’s any different on your planet, we’ve grown up on stories of the selfishness of Earth,” said Canow. 

Yasmin watched Canow, a sneer on her face. He stalked up to her as if he was revelling in the fact that he had finally trapped her. He looked at her as if her skin glowed gold and her feet were mounted on a wooden base. She was more of a trophy than a prisoner; a souvenir of war for the leaders to pass around. Yasmin shifted, suppressing a wince as her body ached with the movement. Canow noticed and raised an eyebrow. 

“Have you not gotten comfortable yet? I can see you’ve managed to find your friend, but that’s of no consequence. Neither of you will be here for much longer,” said Canow. 

“What are you going to do to Graham? He hasn’t done anything wrong and killing him would only prove that your cause is pointless. Killing the innocent will never win you a war,” said Yasmin. 

“I think you’ll find,” smirked Canow, “that no one from Earth is innocent. You will find out soon enough how this planet treats you Earthlings. You will both be taken to the leaders for execution and your body parts will be sent back to your planet to tell your own leaders of our war. You, girl, so desperate to prevent war, will be the fuel that ignites it.” 

“You can’t do that!” shouted Yasmin, storming up to the grate. 

“Someone will be visiting you soon, medical evaluation. The leaders want you to talk to Earth before we kill you. ‘The bigger they come, the harder they fall’, that’s the Earth phrase they want to send back to your kind. Make you look strong, then destroy you. Oh, also, you’re the last person who should be telling me what to do,” said Canow as his hand found the side of the grate, “you’re a dead woman walking.” 

He slammed the grate shut, and the sound made her ears ring and she flinched. She hadn’t even heard him walk away but slumped against the wall when she assumed he was far enough away to not notice. She stayed still, listening out for him, even though she knew he had gone. 

“You and the soldier have some history, then?” called out Graham.

Yasmin gritted her teeth, “He’s the one who brought me in. You ever met him before?” 

“Yeah, he was one of the ones who brought us from the camps. I hadn’t seen him again, not until he brought you back. He’s been hanging around since they’d found you, guess he’s your personal babysitter,” explained Graham. 

“He thinks I’m clever like the Doctor, doesn’t want to risk me escaping again,” said Yasmin. 

“I wouldn’t put it past ya, you can be just as smart as she is,” answered Graham. 

Yasmin didn’t contemplate the compliment; the thought of her own Doctor bringing too many emotions to the surface, but smiled warmly anyway, even though Graham couldn’t see her. Instead, she slid down the wall and sat down, her legs pulled up towards her, listening to his heavy breathing as he sat and did nothing too. She tapped her food numbly against the concrete, boredom overtaking her sadness. 

Not long after, though Yasmin struggled to tell the time in her cell, tentative footsteps approached the cell. Yasmin knew immediately that it wasn’t Canow, and she noticed that no one was opening the grate on the door as they had done before. Instead, the lock on the door clicked and the door screeched as it opened. 

Yasmin looked up to see a shy looking Solitudin woman close the door behind her. Her clothes were nearly as dirty and ripped as Yasmin’s, though they were more like rags. Her skin was almost a diluted red, pinker than what she’d seen already, and she looked much younger. One thing Yasmin did notice was the lack of weaponry, badges indicating her alliance and a lack of claws on her slender hands. She also noticed, exposed by the short crop of hair, that the creature had the same tracker in the back of her neck as Graham and Yasmin did. 

“I-I checked you over when you were first brought in. Canow requested a second check, you know, because of your injuries,” said the Solitudin. 

“Offa?” came Graham’s surprised voice as he looked through the window. Yasmin noticed how the Solitudin’s face lit up. 

“Graham! It’s good to see you, I’m so glad you’re alright,” said Offa. 

“I’ve just been in here, you were the one who needed worrying about. I was scared for you, they didn't tell me where they'd taken you, and seeing how they treat us lot, I didn't have much hope,” said Graham. 

“Yes, well, I’m a traitor, but they don’t want war with me like they do your kind,” shrugged Offa. 

The name swam around in Yasmin’s head, and she wondered where she’d heard it before. Maybe the girl had been from before she’d lost her memory, but the name felt more recent than that. Her eyes fell on the girl, who looked more comfortable than she had when she’d first stepped through the door. 

“You two know each other?” asked Yasmin, looking from Offa to Graham. 

“Yeah,” said Graham, “she’s a prisoner here too. She had the cell on the other side of me, we’d talk through a crack in the wall.” 

Offa nodded, “A while before they brought you here, Yasmin, but in the end they put me to work. They discovered that I used to assist a healer during interrogation, so now I assess the prisoners. It’s not the worst job to have here, at least I get to help.” 

“As in, the Healer? Are you from the village?” asked Yasmin. 

Offa nodded, “Are you getting your memory back? We’ve met once before, when you were awake I mean, but I assumed the memory had been buried when we discovered the mental block.” 

“No, I went back to the village when I escaped. Everyone there is wondering what happened to you. They think you were taken when we were, by the Solitudins outside of the village. Is that true?” asked Yasmin. 

“Yes. We were keeping you with the Healer, him and I were taking care of you. None of you were too hurt, aside from a few cuts and a sprain, but we needed to get these trackers off you. The Circle would only be able to find you again. But some of the village came and dragged you up the steps to where a hoard of outsiders waited. I tried to stop them, but they just called me a traitor and threw me out too. It was only a matter of a few steps before the Circle found us and put guns to our head, telling us that if Them weren’t handed over, everyone would be shot.” 

“So, the outsiders betrayed you too?” asked Yasmin. 

“Yes, they told the Circle that I was from the village. It was my fault for leaving the village at night, they decided, so took me with them,” said Offa. 

“If you don’t want to be here either,” said Graham, “why don’t we all help each other out? You can let us go, and we can run.” 

Offa bit her lip. Yasmin knew what she was feeling, as she too knew how the Solitudins operated. She knew the weight that rested on the young girl’s shoulders, and the danger that followed her. 

“They’ll kill her, Graham, as soon as they find out she betrayed them. She wouldn’t be safe anywhere. Besides, we still need to find Ryan, and both of the Doctors,” said Yasmin. 

Offa made a face, but she didn’t say anything. 

“Do you mind, Miss, if I check your injuries? I’ve been gone long enough, and if I don’t return soon with a report they’ll get suspicious,” said Offa. 

Yasmin nodded, “Yeah, of course.” 

“Does anything hurt?” asked Offa. 

“My shoulder, a bit, and my head, but there’s not much you can do to help that,” explained Yasmin. 

She hated to think about her body, and how it ached, stung and bruised. She certainly didn’t want Graham to know that she was in pain, not with everything else that was going on. She tried to play it down, to act as if she’d forgotten about it, but Graham’s frown told her that she’d failed. He raised a bushy eyebrow at her and she shrank down as if she was a child in trouble with a parent. 

“Oh, ‘ang on, I thought you said you were fine?” accused Graham. 

“I am. Besides, what could you’ve done to help? Only equipment you’d have is bricks and concrete.” 

“Do you mind?” said Offa, gesturing to Yasmin’s coat. Yasmin nodded her consent, watching nervously as Offa took things from a small leather bag she had brought with her. 

Offa gently pulled the coat from Yasmin’s shoulders and found the wound under her t-shirt. Yasmin watched as Offa winced and found herself doing the same. Somehow, the injury hurt more when others could see it. 

“It’s definitely infected, can you see how red and swollen it is? But don’t worry, you’ll be fine once I’ve dressed it. Next time I come and see you, let me know if the pain gets worse or if you start running a fever.” 

Yasmin nodded and watched wordlessly as Offa wiped the remains of the green paste that had dried on the wound away and cleaned it. Yasmin hissed, and barely acknowledged Offa’s sweet apology as she went to bandage the wound up. 

“That should start to feel better soon, does anywhere else hurt?” said Offa. 

Yasmin shook her head and Graham intervened, “Wait, what about her head? That can’t be good, can it?” 

“Canow ran tests as soon as he brought you in. Right now, your mind is like a weighing scale. You’re at a perfect balance of remembering what you need to know and forgetting your traumas. It’s almost like you never even forgot anything. But being here, and remembering things, is tipping the scale. The theory of the scientists is that one more memory will tip the scale and your memories will repair themselves.” 

"Do they know that could kill me, or make me go insane?" asked Yasmin.

Offa offered her an apologetic glance, "Miss, I don't think that concerns them in the slightest." 

“And is that what Canow wants? Her memories, I mean.” asked Graham. 

“He believes Yasmin will have answers to his questions once her memories return,” said Offa. 

“He’s an idiot, then, if he thinks I’ll tell him anything,” scoffed Yasmin. 

Offa gulped, “He…he hurts people Yasmin. He’ll do whatever it takes if it means he can get what he wants. This place isn’t like anywhere I’ve ever seen before.” 

“Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself,” said Yasmin. 

Offa nodded, “You’re right. I need to be getting back now. I believe Canow wants me to help you look more…alive tomorrow, before he sends you to the leaders. Goodbye, Graham, Yasmin.” 

They watched as Offa reluctantly opened the door, and then locked it behind her. She was just as trapped as they were, except she was able to use her legs. Yasmin couldn’t help but wonder how the sweet, innocent young girl who wanted nothing more than to help others had wound up as not only a prisoner of war, but also a cog in the machine. 

“She shouldn’t be here,” commented Graham, after moments of silence that followed Offa’s departure. 

“None of us should be here,” countered Yasmin, turning to look at him. 

“Yeah, you’re right,” sighed Graham, “you know, she reminds me of you. She was telling me all about her ambitions and I couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if she’d been on Earth, back in our day. There’s still wars but, God, at least she wouldn’t be in the middle of it.” 

“It’s different here,” said Yasmin, “I’ve seen enough of this stupid planet to know that now.” 

“It sounds like you’ve seen way more than I have, even with your buggered memory. I’m guessing, if we do get out of here, running isn’t our best option?” 

“Well, not unless you want to be trapped in the desert for days. That’s what we have the TARDIS and the Doctor for though, isn’t it?” said Yasmin. 

Graham didn’t answer. His silence, the way his eyes cast down and the blank expression on his weary face unsettled her. She narrowed her eyes, growing more and more frustrated at the secrets he had been keeping. She tried to ignore them, to pretend she though he knew better, but she couldn’t. 

“Graham, tell me now, where is-”

Just before Yasmin managed to get out her question, and with enough time for Graham to dread it, they were interrupted by a deafening alarm from outside of their cells. It made both Yasmin and Graham jump, frightened out of their skin, neither of them prepared for such a loud noise to be heard from the inside their concrete cells. It sounded almost like a siren; short loud blasts of sound every few seconds. 

“What the bloody hell is that?” breathed Graham, covering his ears with his hands, though he was completely unable to block it out. 

Yasmin let out a breath with a deep exhale and smiled almost manically, “I’m pretty sure that’s our escape plan hatching.” 

"It's about time," she said softly, partly to herself and partly to the Time Lord she had lost in the chaos.


	10. Grief Came Riding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I love you all, have another chapter! Honestly, the only thing I can spoil for this chapter is I promise it's not as bad as it sounds. Don't hate me just yet.

The sirens sounded for long enough to make it seem like torture for Graham and Yasmin. It rang in their ears long after it finally stopped blaring, worsening the headache Yasmin had been nursing for days now. They looked at each other with insane relief when they were freed from the sound. Yasmin put a hand to her ear, as she wasn’t sure if they were bleeding or not. She was surprised when she found that they weren’t, considering the sheer volume of the siren felt as though it had burst through her ear drums. 

“I thought that would never stop,” breathed Yasmin. 

“Isn’t it bad if it stops? I mean, does that mean they’ve fixed whatever went wrong, or recaptured your mate?” asked Graham. 

“Have some faith, Graham,” said Yasmin, though she wouldn’t admit that she had the same doubt in her own thoughts. She was so afraid that the Doctor had managed to get himself hurt, or had angered the leaders, that she refused to think about it. Instead, she chewed her lip nervously and stared at the door, echoes of the siren still ringing around the concrete. 

“I’m surprised we’re not deaf yet,” he grumbled. 

Yasmin laughed fondly, “We’ve fought aliens on every planet going, and you think an alarm is enough to defeat us?” 

“Fair point,” said Graham, “but I don’t fancy fighting any aliens when I don’t have my hearing.” 

It was nice for Yasmin to hear Graham speaking, indulging her with occasional laughs. He’d go quiet very now and again, the atmosphere suffocating with sadness, and Yasmin would peer over to see his head in his hands. Now, with the hope of Yasmin, he seemed just a little bit lighter. 

“If you can’t hear and Ryan can’t run, us girls might just have to leave you both behind,” teased Yasmin. 

There it was again, the quiet sadness. Graham curled up in on himself, letting his half-hearted laughter fade into the air. Yasmin felt a pang of guilt as she wondered what she had said to upset him. She stood up but left him in peace, instead trying to pace around the cell. She was able to make one step, then turn on her heels and make another step. Her boots stomped against the ground as her pace quickened with each passing second, she refused to sit still. 

At this point, she wouldn’t even mind if Canow had come back to taunt her. At least it was something to do, something to think about other than the fate of herself and her friends. She was going insane trapped in the cold, concrete cell with nothing but her own anxieties to keep her warm. 

***

Yasmin hadn’t heard the grate unlatch. Whenever she was visited, especially when it was Canow, they would make as much noise as possible to remind Yasmin that she was in the cell, and they were free. 

This time, however, the grate slid open almost silently, and when Yasmin looked up she was confronted by a shadowy figure above her and she shouted in surprise. Her strangled screech could’ve competed with the siren they had heard, she thought, as it made even her flinch. She couldn’t see whoever was on the other side of her cell, but she knew it wasn’t Canow or Offa. Maybe, she thought, the leaders had finally come for her. She heard Graham jump to his feet in shock and rush to the window when he heard her distress. 

“Yaz, if you’re going to have the subtlety of a brick, at least make it a brick I can use to break the lock on the door,” came a gruff voice from the other side of the cell. 

She couldn’t believe she was hearing his voice. She’d almost forgotten what it sounded like. Yasmin had missed the bitterness to his words and warmth in his voice more that she’d ever admit to him. 

Yasmin put a hand on her heart and huffed with relief, “Well next time, don’t go sneaking up on someone in a cell.” 

“It’s hardly sneaking up on you, is it? I mean, look at you sat there, you look like a dog in a kennel.” 

Yasmin’s smile grew so fast it made her cheeks hurt, “I didn’t miss you one bit.” 

Graham peered over to the cell beside his own, like he would’ve climbed through it if the window had been big enough, looking from Yasmin to the figure that had spoken to her. Yasmin had relaxed at the stranger’s presence, but Graham was still on edge. 

The Doctor came into view, leaning down so his face was in the light, and grinned. His piercing blue eyes gleamed in the light as he flashed her a toothy grin. Yasmin was relieved to find him unhurt, aside from bruising she had noticed on his wrist when he had opened the grate. If anything, he looked incredibly smug; as if his escape had reenergised him. 

“You did though, didn’t you? Get the note?” asked the Doctor.

“Yeah about that, bit sentimental for you wasn’t it?” smirked Yasmin. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “What did you want me to write on there? ‘Hope you don’t die’? Didn’t think that would’ve gone down too well.” 

“Good point,” said Yasmin, her fond smile growing. 

Both Yasmin and the Doctor had almost forgotten about Graham in the next cell over, who was feeling less protective of Yasmin now, but still clearly didn’t trust him. He coughed awkwardly and both Yasmin and the Doctor threw glances over to him. 

“Who’s the bloke?” asked Graham cautiously. 

The Doctor looked to Yasmin with a raised eyebrow, “Him too? Your Doctor is unbelievable.”

“Hang on, you know the Doctor?” asked Graham, craning for a better look at the mysterious man. 

“Yeah, about that,” said Yasmin, “this is the Doctor. He’s just…a past regeneration of her. This is who she was, before we met her.” 

Graham let out a poorly concealed laugh, “Alright, stop pulling my leg. That’s not how biology works, even I know that. How do you really know the Doctor, and Yaz, how do you know him?” 

Yasmin scratched the back of her neck, silently willing the Doctor to be quiet. It didn’t happen though, and she cringed.

“Humans are somehow the most arrogant and most ignorant species in the universe. Your Doctor and I are the same person, one from the past and one from the future. Yaz came crashing into my ship thinking it was yours. The TARDIS brought me here, probably knew your ship was in distress,” said the Doctor. 

“Bit convenient that your ship landed on the same planet as ours, at the same time, isn’t it?” asked Graham, his arms folded over his chest. 

“Nothing I do is ever convenient, it’s clever. There’s a big difference,” scoffed the Doctor. 

“You’re as cocky as the Doc, I suppose,” said Graham, his eyes not leaving the Doctor. 

Yasmin could tell he was still suspicious but was warming to the idea. She knew how hard it was to believe, especially when, on the surface, the two of them were so different. 

The Doctor cringed, “Please don’t tell me I let you call me ‘Doc’ in the future? That’s worse than ‘Professor’.” 

“You learn to like it,” said Yasmin, who was still finding Graham’s confusion almost comical. 

“Hang on, hang on. So…the Doctor was you before, does that mean you died and became her? How does that make any sense?” asked Graham. 

“I don’t have time for a science lesson, I’m sure I’ll explain it at some point. Weird that I haven’t been bragging about it already,” mused the Doctor. 

“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” said Graham. 

Yasmin and the Doctor exchanged a look as the Doctor raised an eyebrow at Graham, encouraging his question. 

“If you are the Doctor, why are you a Scot?” 

Yasmin covered her mouth with a hand to stifle a laugh when the Doctor shot him a look and said, “What do you Brits have against Scotland? Doesn’t your Doctor have an accent? Did you call her an imposter too?” 

Graham shrugged, “Nah, I guess not.” 

“Anyway, you’re logical and sensible, for a human, I suppose that makes you Graham?” asked the Doctor. 

“Yeah, Graham O’Brien.” 

“Well, Yaz, Graham, I think it’s time to get you out of there, because I don’t think we have much time left. Actually, I’m certain of it, because I had exactly ten minutes to get out of here and we’ve spent most of it chatting,” said the Doctor, clapping his hands together. 

“We only have ten minutes, and you’ve let us stand here gossiping like clucking hens?” asked Graham. 

“Well yes, but I have this,” said the Doctor as he pulled the sonic screwdriver from his pocket in triumph. 

“They took mine, how come you got to keep yours?” pouted Yasmin. 

“Maybe it was because the Solitudins were only looking for one sonic device, or maybe you just look like more trouble than I do. They did take my psychic paper though, remind me to find that later.” 

“You have a plan right, Doctor?” asked Yasmin nervously. 

“Obviously. We came here to find your friends, right? And so far, we’ve only found one. So, us hens are going to go find the fox den. I hate that analogy, why did you put that in my head? Anyway, if your friends aren’t here, that’s where they’ll be.” 

Yasmin’s eyes lit up, “Right, so we make it seem like we’ve walked into their trap, but actually we’re getting out of the cells and going to find the Doctor and Ryan!” 

Graham interrupted them, “Isn’t that just being stuck, but just in a different place?” 

“Don’t ruin this, Graham. Would you rather be trapped in a concrete cell or trapped in the heart of a brutal alien government?” asked the Doctor as he searched the sonic screwdriver for the right frequency. 

Graham frowned, “Is that a trick question, or?” 

“Oh, come on, Graham. You said it yourself, we can’t just sit here until they decide to kill us, can we? At least we can find out what’s going on if we can find the leaders. Plus, it might be our only chance to find the Doctor and Ryan,” said Yasmin. 

“He’s a terrible influence on you, you know?” said Graham, glaring at the Doctor, whose proud expression turned to one of offence. 

“Just so you know, she dragged me into this, not the other way around,” said the Doctor as he pointed the sonic screwdriver up to the door to Yasmin’s cell. She watched, quietly relieved, as the lock dropped from the door as the sonic whirred and hit the ground with a loud clank. 

“Alright, out you come,” he said as he twisted the handle of the cell door, freeing Yasmin from inside it. 

Her legs hadn’t had much exercise, considering she couldn’t even walk around her cell, and it took them a while to adjust. They were shaky as she took a step, and the Doctor held one hand out subconsciously to catch her. She didn’t fall, though, and threw her arms around the Doctor’s neck. It was the first time they’d hugged, but Yasmin hadn’t thought of that, she just thought about how much she had missed him. He stiffened, unsure of how to react, but awkwardly wrapped one arm around her. She tightened the hug when the Doctor didn’t pull away and hid her smile. 

She noticed, almost with embarrassment, that he smelled different to her own Doctor. The sweet, linen biscuit-dough scent was now an overwhelming mix of spice, candles and smoke. The smell no longer lingered on the coat around her body, as it was now covered in blood and dirt and she had missed it. She breathed it in, comforted. 

“It’s so good to see you,” she breathed with a grin, 

“Yeah, yeah, you too Pudding Brain. Now, shall we get Graham out of there before we have to leave him behind?” asked the Doctor. 

Yasmin sprang away from him and nodded. Finally, she realised, she was able to see where she was. Blocks of concrete cells lined one side of the room, and the opposite. They were all joined, as Yasmin could see an empty one beside her own, and Graham’s on the other side. The walls were covered in peeling plaster and cracks and the floor was the same concrete as the cells. No wonder she had been so cold, she thought, as she kicked her legs out to bring the life back to them.

She turned to the cell door that belonged to the Doctor as he began to scan it with the sonic screwdriver. She put her fist to her mouth and watched as the sonic whirred. Soon after, the lock opened up and Yasmin caught it in her hands to stop it from hitting the floor. She placed it down gently and then straightened up again to greet Graham as he stormed through the now open door. 

He wasted no time in pulling Yasmin into a warm hug. She clung to him, ignoring the dirt and dots of blood on his clothes and buried her head into his chest. His tight grip made her shoulder burn, but she tried to hide it from him. The Doctor noticed and raised an eyebrow but kept quiet. 

“I’ve been wanting to do that for days, kid,” murmured Graham as they pulled apart. Yasmin smiled up at him but struggled to keep the tears back as the emotions got the better of her. 

“Come on, niceties can resume later,” encouraged the Doctor, pulling Yasmin towards him. She noticed that he’d found a large, futuristic door on the adjacent wall. A small circular window showed her stairs on the other side, leading up to the rest of the government building. 

“Up there is where the leaders are. They had me in an interrogation room, trying to work out who I was. They're not a bright bunch, after a few hours they all left me alone and I put the sonic to work. But this door, though, it took me a while to open. Very sophisticated lock on it. It’s been locked from the inside with the trusty sonic, so it will take the Solitudin engineers about ten minutes to realise they cannot open it, hence the time frame. They’ll be coming in from the portal any minute now, so we need to go,” said the Doctor, dragging his new companions towards the locked door. 

Yasmin jogged beside him, not noticing that Graham fell behind. Instead, she watched as the Doctor reached for the lock on the door. It wasn’t the same as the one on their cells, as it was much more complicated. It looked like a key pad, except with three locks at the centre of it, each looking like gilded knots. 

“Can you unlock it?” asked Yasmin, unsure of what the lock even was. 

“How do you think I got in here, idiot?” 

Ignoring the Doctor’s comment, Yasmin watched as he worked on the locked door. She hadn’t felt Graham approach her, too wrapped up in helping the Doctor, but his voice brought her out of her awe. He placed a hand on her shoulder to draw her attention and she turned to face him. She found a deep frown on his face and tilted her head quizzically. 

“I’m sorry, Yaz, but you can’t go with him,” said Graham, desperately tugging at her coat sleeve. 

The Doctor nudged her, “I thought you were meant to be the buzz kill?” 

“Why not? We need to get out of here,” asked Yasmin, finding his eyes just as sad as they had been before. 

Graham tightened his grip on her sleeve, “Why do you think? I don’t want to lose you as well!” 

Yasmin flashed him a frustrated glance, but she softened with realisation, “This isn’t the same as it was with Grace, Graham. She didn’t know what she was up against, and she’d never even been on an alien planet before. This is what we do now.” 

She saw how he trembled, and how his lip quivered, and almost regretted bringing his wife up. The Doctor sensed the tension and carried on deciphering the lock that kept them in the basement, surrounded by cells. He heard one click and, satisfied, went on until he heard the second. 

“It’s not just her!” shouted Graham, though Yasmin could tell that he wished he’d never said it as soon as he’d opened his mouth. 

“What do you mean?” asked Yasmin quietly. 

“He’s clearly not telling you something,” interjected the Doctor, once the second click indicated that the room was almost unlocked. 

“He’s right,” whispered Graham, “I-I didn’t know how to tell you. I still don’t know. I don’t want to watch your heart get broken twice. Please don’t make me tell you.” 

“Graham,” said Yasmin, though she wondered if she was making a mistake, “I have a right to know.” 

“I can’t,” he spoke, desperation heavy in his words. 

“It’s not fair, Graham! I can’t remember anything, and everyone I meet is keeping my own memories a secret from me! I-I need you to tell me, please!” cried Yasmin, with enough emotion in her voice to even make even the Doctor pause from his task. 

“What if you forgetting was a blessing? Why would you want to relive something so painful, when you don’t have to?’” asked Graham. 

“That isn’t your choice to make,” said Yasmin, her voice steady. 

Graham sighed deeply but complied, looking as though he didn’t know how to form the words Yasmin wanted to hear. She could see the words churning in his head and gulped. 

Graham held Yasmin’s hand in his own. She could feel how it shook, even more than hers was, and she could see all the bruises and scratches closer now. The bricks had damaged them, but that wasn’t what was on her mind. All she could think about was the tear that fell slowly from Graham’s eye, rolling from his cheek to his lip. 

“He died, Yasmin. Nearly a week ago. We were all taken to the leaders when they found us in the camps, but he was taken away with the Doctor. He-he never came back. I’m so sorry.” 

Yasmin’s entire body froze and her voice cracked as she tried to speak, “What?” 

“He’s gone, Yaz,” said Graham hoarsely, “Ryan’s gone and it’s our fault.” 

Yasmin laughed nervously, and snatched her hand away, “What are you talking about?” 

The Doctor didn’t even hear the third click that signalled that the door was unlocked. Instead, he looked over to Yasmin in concern, just in time to see her smile falter. 

“You’re lying,” she said, her voice sharp with accusation. 

Graham shook his head slowly, reliving the pain of the memory hidden from Yasmin. 

“Come on,” said the Doctor softly, “we need to go.” 

Yasmin’s mouth fell open but she didn’t move, her feet planted on the concrete. The Doctor managed to get Graham through the door with soothing encouragement, but he turned to find Yasmin unmoved. 

“Yaz, we’re going to be thrown back into the cells if we get caught now. Either that, or they’ll kill us. We need to go, we have a plan remember?” said the Doctor sternly. 

“He’s dead, Doctor,” said Yasmin numbly, her eyes still focused on a spot on a wall, though tears begun to sting her eyes and blur her vision. 

The Doctor didn’t respond, he just picked Yasmin up by the waist and pulled her through the door. She was much lighter than he’d imagined she would be, but her thrashing had made her difficult to carry. He passed her to Graham as her sobs turned to screams so that he could lock the door behind them. 

He tried to focus on locking the door instead of the sobs that wracked Yasmin’s body. She was holding on tightly to Graham, her crying muffled as she pressed her face into his jacket. Her hands caught fistfuls of the fabric as if she was worried she wouldn’t be able to stand on her own. 

“Shush, love, I know. I’m so sorry...so sorry,” soothed Graham, though he was clearly in as much pain as she was.

“W-what happened?” she asked, punctuating the words with hiccups. 

Graham sighed, “We…don’t know for sure. We don’t need to get into this now, though.” 

The Doctor finished locking the doors and whipped around, “If you don’t know what happened, how can you be sure he’s actually dead?” 

“I just know!” barked Graham. 

The two older men argued, but it faded into the background of Yasmin’s head. She’d stepped away from Graham, hoping the throbbing of her head would ease if she was further away from their loud voices. Each of their words punctured into her mind and she would’ve begged them to be quiet if she could find her voice. 

The pain erupted in her head like it had never before, flooding her thoughts until she couldn’t think of anything else. She lost all control of her mind and was forced to let the waves of memory in. Pictures rushed forward, blinding her with colours and lights and she could hear voices as if they were yelling in her ear. Her unsteady hands reached up to cover her ears, but the voices came from inside her head, and she couldn’t quieten. She heard Ryan’s and she felt a fresh stab of unbearable grief in her heart. 

With a light gasp, Yasmin’s legs weakened, feeling as though they were about to snap and she watched helplessly as they buckled. She tried to call out for the Doctor or Graham to help her, but her mouth wouldn’t let her speak. Her body began to slump when it finally gave in. 

Graham looked alarmed but the Doctor knew what was happening, so Graham watched as the Doctor caught Yasmin by her arms. Graham reached forward and did the same, both of them using the wall beside them to keep her upright. She was muttering to herself, something neither of the others could decode, but after a few seconds her eyes flew open, the lift of her lashes allowing even more tears to fall. 

"What did you see? Are you alright?" asked the Doctor.

“No…” said Yasmin, barely audible to the two men, “he’s telling the truth. I-I…. he’s telling the truth.”


	11. Burden Of The Unlocked Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Finally time for just a little bit of backstory. 
> 
> Now obviously this isn't even close to being over, but I wanted to ask; if I thought about making this into a sort of series, would anyone be interested in that? Either other companions or Yaz with other Doctors? Please let me know what you think
> 
> Thank you as always for following this story with me

The two older men argued, but it faded into the background of Yasmin’s head. She’d stepped away from Graham, hoping the throbbing of her head would ease if she was further away from their loud voices. Each of their words punctured into her mind and she would’ve begged them to be quiet if she could find her voice. 

The pain erupted in her head like it had never before, flooding her thoughts until she couldn’t think of anything else. She lost all control of her mind and was forced to let the waves of memory in. Pictures rushed forward, blinding her with colours and lights and she could hear voices as if they were yelling in her ear. Her unsteady hands reached up to cover her ears, but the voices came from inside her head, and she couldn’t quieten. She heard Ryan’s and she felt a fresh stab of unbearable grief in her heart. 

 

_“I’m just saying,” Ryan had begun, his arms folded across his chest, “would it really be that big of a deal?”_

_“Yes, Ryan,” said the Doctor, her arms flailing in front of him, “it would! You can visit history all you like, but you can’t beat up dictators.”_

_“In his defence, you shouldn’t have told the story if you didn’t want him to get ideas,” pointed out Yasmin._

_Ryan slung his arm around Yasmin’s shoulder with a satisfied nod, “Yeah, she’s right! You can’t go round telling people you let your friend punch Hitler, and not expect them to want to do the same. What about Lenin? Or Stalin?”_

_“What if you beat up Hitler and end up taking his place?” asked Graham from the other side of the TARDIS console room, sipping at a mug of tea he held in both hands._

_Ryan made a face, “That’s a good point, actually. Plus, who would believe me, apart from you three? Not worth it.”_

_He moved his hand away from the console screen, turning towards the Doctor, “So, are we not going to Nazi Germany then? There’s not much point if we can’t stop the war or mess up Hitler.”_

_The Doctor paused for a moment._

_“I know! Set the coordinates for Cologne,” said the Doctor with a grin, “culture like you’ve never seen it! The Cologne Cathedral even inspired architecture on other religious planets, still does today. Plus, the Nazis never gained much support in Cologne, especially compared to the other cities, so you don’t have to worry about Ryan getting a chance to punch Hitler.”_

_Happy with the decision, Ryan typed in the numbers on the screen as the Doctor read them out for him. The Doctor began to pilot the ship, but Yasmin stopped her._

_“Can I have a go? I know we’ve been practising, but I’ve never piloted her back in time before,” she asked hopefully._

_“Of course you can Yaz! You’re brilliant! You know what to do, right?” asked the Doctor._

_Yasmin nodded and skipped excitedly over towards the console, pushing past Ryan. Her hand hovered over one button and she looked to the Doctor for approval. The Doctor nodded, brushing her own hand over Yasmin’s to encourage her. Yasmin blushed but pressed the button, followed by another one on the other side of her. When the TARDIS began to hum, she spun the lever to her right and pulled it down._

_“You did it,” praised Graham, “well done love.”_

_Yasmin smiled proudly, stepping back as the TARDIS whirred into action. She instinctively held on to the beam behind her as the ship began to shake. The others did the same, all falling into their positions as they always did when the TARDIS flew. The Doctor had told them that the ship likes to knock them down like bowling pins when she was in a mood, but the companions all knew that was the Doctor’s excuse for being a chaotic pilot._

_Graham had been holding on with one hand, but a sudden lurch from the TARDIS knocked him from his feet. Lukewarm tea spilled from his mug, drowning the metal floor in the liquid. His mug fell as he did; shattering beside him. Graham scrambled to his feet, avoiding fragments of dark green pottery that surrounded him._

_“Are you alright Grandad?” asked Ryan, unable to reach over to help him without falling over himself._

_“Yeah, fine son,” said Graham, managing to pull himself over to the beam where Ryan was holding on. The TARDIS still shook and trembled like it was trapped in an earthquake, and the Doctor frowned._

_“Did I do something wrong?” Yasmin asked nervously._

_“Uh,” said the Doctor, her voice an octave higher than normal, “no. Nothing wrong. But, just to be safe, maybe everyone should hold on just a little bit tighter?”_

_“So that’s a yes, then?” asked Yasmin miserably._

_“You did a great job,” said the Doctor, but her half-hearted reassurance was swiftly cut off by a loud whine that sounded like it had come from the centre of the console. The Doctor’s head snapped towards it, but she couldn’t risk scanning it with the sonic screwdriver, considering how she would inevitably fly across the room. She stuck out her tongue in frustration._

_“What do we do? Can’t we stick her on autopilot?” asked Ryan._

_The Doctor looked up at him, “Brilliant Ryan! If we can reach that big glowing button, then she’ll land wherever’s closest. We can check her engines and we’ll be in Cologne in no time.”_

_“It’s a bit far away, though, I don’t fancy taking another trip trying to push it,” grumbled Graham._

_Yasmin noticed the button the Doctor had been referring to her was opposite her. It was in the shape of a triangle and glowed a gentle yellow, “Guys, I think I can reach it.”_

_The Doctor shook her head violently, “No way, Yaz! Too dangerous. I’ll do it.”_

_“Oh, come on, it’s closest to me. Let me fix my own mess, Doctor,” said Yasmin, already eying up the button in front of her and wondering how she should reach for it._

_“Okay, okay fine. Please be careful,” said the Doctor, cringing as Yasmin leaned forward._

_She let go of the beam with one hand and swung herself closer to the console. It looked as though the TARDIS was trying to steady herself for the companion, but she could only do so much. Carefully, Yasmin stretched out her hand, hoping her fingers would be able to graze over the button. She realised it wasn’t enough and leaned closer to the console, hearing the frightened gasps that escaped the lips of her friends._

_Just as another tremor hit the TARDIS, erupting it from the inside, Yasmin pressed down on the button. She nearly fell across the floor of the ship but the Doctor reached out to grab her with one hand. Yasmin was able to hug herself to the beam as the TARDIS stabilised._

_She breathed a sigh of relief as the trembling began to stop._

_“Could’ve been a disaster,” commented Graham, oddly chipper for the tension that had surrounded the room just moments before._

_As Yasmin was just about to risk letting go of the beam, she felt strangely hot. Yasmin frowned, knowing her jacket was never normally warm enough in the TARDIS. Before she questioned it to the Doctor, she saw a hue of yellow-white light around the button she had just pressed._

_“Yaz, don’t-” began the Doctor, but a hiss from the engine interrupted her._

_The hiss grew louder and before she had a chance to steady herself, energy pulsed from the button. It hit Yasmin like she had been punched in the stomach and, winded, she had doubled over and been forced to let go of the beam._

_“Yaz!” the three of them cried when she was thrown across the room, more violently than Graham had been._

_Yasmin felt as though she was flying, but it only lasted momentarily. Sheer terror took over as she headed into the shell of hexagonal panels surrounding the beams. She crashed into one of them shoulder-first, shattering one panel of glass._

_“Yaz, are you okay?” shouted Ryan, running over to her as soon as the TARDIS had landed._

_He pulled her out of her dazed state and offered her a hand. The Doctor skidded to Yasmin’s side, checking her over._

_“Oh, yeah, great,” said Yasmin dismissively, ignoring the burning sensation in her shoulder. It stung, even with the shock that numbed her body._

_The Doctor clapped her hands together, “Right, that didn’t go to plan at all. Let’s check you over, Yaz, then you can lie down while I fix the ship.”_

_“Me and Ryan will go and see where we are, maybe there’s someone who can help,” offered Graham, giving Yasmin a reassuring pat._

_“Woah, wait. We can’t tell if it’s dangerous without the console, and it’s currently smoking. Don’t go anywhere before I’ve checked it out. I can’t have all three of you lot getting hurt. Let’s help Yaz to her room, then we can go look,” ordered the Doctor._

_Yasmin rolled her eyes, pushing the pain to the back of her mind, “Doctor, I’m completely fine! Let’s just go see if anyone can help us get home, then I’ll help you clean up.”_

_The Doctor pouted, “Yeah, it is a bit of a mess in here, isn’t it? Okay, but I’m going first. You guys follow behind me.”_

_The Doctor opened the door and Ryan followed close behind her. Yasmin was next, slowed down by the feeling of sticky blood under her jacket, and Graham stepped behind her. She tried not to show her pain, knowing he would only worry._

_The first thing that struck Yasmin was the intense heat. She was immediately overwhelmed by it, and the brightness of the day stung her eyes as they had been burned. She regretted not bringing her sunglasses as she observed the planet’s suns._

_“I’m not sure where we are,” said the Doctor as they stepped out of the TARDIS’s exterior shields, “but three suns tell me we’re in the Lunus galaxy. Should be a civilised planet, if we’re lucky.”_

_As the shield cleared, and each of the TARDIS team had stepped out of it, each overwhelmed by the suns. Yasmin grimaced, feeling for Graham, who had a habit of getting burned whenever they visited a warm planet. She could already see him sweating under the rays of light and stifled a laugh. Ryan smirked at her, neither one of them noticing what the Doctor and Graham had seen._

_“Yaz, stop moving,” the Doctor has said quietly when she had heard her making her way over to Ryan._

_Yasmin blinked, confused, but looked up to scan her surroundings properly for the first time. She hadn’t noticed before, as the TARDIS had landed behind a row of tall, white tents, but she followed the Doctor’s line of sight to where creatures were starting to gather._

_Yasmin’s hand flew to her mouth. The creatures weren’t like anything she’d ever seen before; so almost human that it was unnerving. What was different, though, were their skin, almost the colour of blood in the bright sunlight, and dark hostile eyes. The metal of their guns gleamed in the light too, each weapon trained on the strangers. They barely noticed the three humans as their attention was trained on the Doctor, who braced herself for the onslaught._

 

The memory faded, leaving Yasmin feeling a tingling sensation in her body. The Doctor paused the argument between him and Graham to rub her shoulders, mistaking her trembling for her time in a cold cell. The headache that had been building for days finally eased, as if the pressure on her head was being lifted. The short memory didn’t tell her much, but just as she was about to complain another one overtook her, shrouding her in another image. 

 

_The room was unlike anything Yasmin had ever seen before. They were standing in the conference room, which seemed to be where leaders meet whenever they needed to discuss something. Today, that something was the four of them. The floor was made from white-gold marble and the impossibly tall walls were decorated with cream wallpaper, grander than any government building Yasmin had seen on Earth._

_She looked around to the gold-framed paintings that hung from the walls, and the beautiful, elegant paintings on the ceiling. To Yasmin, it was almost the most beautiful room she’d ever seen, though the handcuffs around her wrists ruined the image for her. She tugged at them, but found they were definitely too strong for her to get out of, maybe even with the sonic screwdriver._

_The Doctor flashed her a glance of comfort, but it didn’t ease Yasmin. She grew concerned each time she had lost sight of one of her friends and, currently, Ryan was missing. Graham himself had been whisked away for interrogation, after Yasmin herself and the Doctor had been. Now, it was Ryan’s turn, and Yasmin could tell how frightened he had been._

_Yasmin looked down at the Doctor’s shaky, pale hands. She had been wearing the same Earth-style handcuffs as Yasmin, but after her interrogation, they had been swapped with something else. The metal around her wrists was thicker, they glowed a blinding blue, and they didn’t look as though they had come from Earth. They hummed with electricity and Yasmin could tell by the glisten in the Doctor’s eyes that they were hurting her._

_Yasmin wanted to reach out and comfort her, but the Doctor was standing at a distance for a reason. Well, two, since Yasmin knew the Doctor thought she would inevitably get herself shocked too, and she would only prove to the leaders that she was a bargaining tool between the Doctor and the Solitudins. They had already used the three humans in the interrogation room to rile her, so Yasmin didn’t want to know what they would have planned next._

_“Why have you taken Ryan as well?” the Doctor asked, angry eyes flashing the leader of the creatures, who sat on an elevated chair in front of them, “Haven’t you learned enough terrifying the rest of my mates?”_

_The leader huffed, “You hid your identity from us, Time Lord, why wouldn’t they do the same?”_

_The leader looked out of place in amidst the grand decorations, with her face marred with scars, as if each one was a memory of the wars she’d led her people to. She was the only Solitudin Yasmin had seen with long, thick hair, as she imagined it was impractical in the heat, and it was braided back. Her appearance was almost Earth-like, though the look in her eyes was something Yasmin had never seen before on her planet._

_“You know they’re human,” said the Doctor, defeatedly, knowing that wasn’t much better._

_“They are from Earth,” pointed out the leader, “a planet you so stupidly defend. It is no coincidence that you’re here, you are the first signal of a war that will scorch the universe’s history for millennia.”_

_“You’re hating on Earth, a planet thirsty for knowledge and progress, when your own planet only wants war and revenge. Sounds a bit hypocritical to me,” mused the Doctor._

_Their conversation was interrupted by a soldier appearing in the archway door on the other side of the room, his uniform boots stomping against the marble. Everyone’s attention turned to the soldier, who held position in the archway until the leader invited him in. The leader did, with a graceful nod._

_“What is it?” the leader asked the solider, frustrated by the interruption._

_“Ma’am, Canow is requesting the Doctor in the interrogation room. Apparently, the boy said something he wishes the Time Lord to verify. It could be useful information for our strategy,” said the soldier._

_The leader smiled, “Finally. You can tell the boy, the more he spills, the kinder I will be when deliberating his tasks. The same cannot be said for the man and the girl.”_

_The soldier began to stomp towards the Doctor, but she dug her heels down onto the floor, making it clear that she wasn’t going anywhere. Yasmin could see the fear as if it was glowing from her body._

_“I’ll go…but you have to tell me something,” said the Doctor, pulling against the soldier’s firm hold on her shoulder._

_“You are in no position to barter,” argued the leader._

_“Yes, yes. I know that. Just tell me, might as well, what do you mean by tasks?”_

_“Tasks are punishment. We aren’t uncivilised; capital punishment has been banned on this planet for centuries. The punishment for war criminals, now, is being wiped of any identity, any affliction you may have with Earth, and you will work for the Circle until your years have ended,” said the leader._

_“You’re going to brainwash us and work us until we die? How is that better than capital punishment?” asked Yasmin, surprised she had managed to find a voice._

_“It is not brainwashing,” bristled the leader, “it is showing you how the Circle is the greater good and serving us is the only way forward. The sooner Earth is dead, the better.”_

_“You can’t do that to them! It violates universal laws of consent, and I have no problem calling the authorities,” growled the Doctor._

_The leader looked bored and flicked her hand, “You forget, Time Lord, that the authorities have no jurisdiction over planets under the threat of war. By the time the war is over and they finally come, you will all be long dead.”_

_“You don’t want to do this.”_

_“It’s too late. You brought your pets to this planet, it’s no one’s fault but your own. Remember that when they join our cause,” countered the leader._

_“Doc,” spoke up Graham, who had been incredibly quiet since the interrogation, “please don’t argue. Go and find Ryan, he’s all alone. We can handle ourselves, but he’s probably scared.”_

_The Doctor considered his proposal for a moment, eyes softening when she looked back at him. She knew he was right, Yasmin could see that, and she was clearly just as worried for Ryan as Graham was. She turned back to look at the leader, who was leaning back in her chair, already knowing that she had won. The Doctor sighed._

_“Okay,” she said defeatedly, “take me to Ryan, and I’ll talk to Canow.”_

_The leader clapped her hands together, “See how easy it is when you cooperate?”_

_“While I’m gone,” began the Doctor, trying to pull herself away from the soldiers who were dragging her towards the archway, “you won’t harm either Graham or Yaz, okay? You will not so much as touch them. If I come back and find even a bruise, I will destroy you.”_

_The leader laughed giddily, “Oh Doctor, I don’t expect you to come back.”_

_Yasmin was about to run after the Doctor, or protest, but a glance from the Doctor stopped her legs from working. It was a silent plea for her to stay out of trouble, and she found she had no choice but to listen to her. She set her feet down firmly, looking to Graham for comfort, as the Doctor disappeared with the soldiers._

_“You,” said the leader, pointing obnoxiously to Yasmin, “I have a feeling you need breaking in. Factory work should teach you to stay in your place. The older man, however, you’re more suited to the fields. We would never Solitudins such work but you Earthlings are used to physical labour, are you not?”_

_“In this heat?” said Yasmin, knowing her body was already beginning to blister._

_“It might kill you faster than normal,” shrugged the leader, “but it makes it quite an efficient system. The weak won’t last more than a few days, but we only want the strong.”_

_“If you only have a society of the strong, they’ll cause more than just this one war with Earth,” said Yasmin._

_“You sound like the rebels, and the villagers. You can work, and become strong, or die as weak as your planet. I have no doubt your Earth blood will side you with the weak.”_

_“What are you going to do to the Doctor?” Graham asked the question Yasmin had been purposefully avoiding. She braced herself for the answer but found the leader’s deep laugh more unsettling than whatever she had prepared herself to hear._

_“Worrying about her would only prolong your suffering. She will live many more lives after this one with you, and I will personally ensure that each one is more painful than the one before,” said the leader._

_“Don’t you dare!” shouted Yasmin, ignoring Graham’s warning glance._

_The leader slammed her hand down, and the sound echoed through the room, making all of the soldiers that dotted the room stand up straighter. Yasmin flinched when the leader rose up from her chair and stalked up to her. Yasmin found it interesting that the leader wore a similar uniform to that of her soldiers, though flecked with gold, and wondered if the planet would’ve just found itself in another war if the travellers hadn’t intervened._

_“Do you really think threatening me in my kingdom, on my planet, is a good idea?” hissed the leader, so close Yasmin could see deep into her dark angry eyes._

_Neither women backed down, standing so close that the velvet robe draped around the leader’s body brushed against Yasmin’s leg. The tension grew and Graham put his fist to his mouth, knowing the temper of his friend had upset the leader, who seemed to see herself more as a queen._

_The atmosphere was broken when the soldiers at the door moved aside to let another one through. Yasmin recognised him as the Solitudin who had conducted her interrogation and felt a pang of fear. The leader, on the other hand, looked pleased.  
_

__

__

_“I got what I wanted Ma’am,” said Canow smugly, “the Time Lord confirmed that she is in her Thirteenth regeneration. Poor boy didn’t even know what he was saying.”_

_While Yasmin and Graham exchanged a glance, the leader grinned, “But that’s not possible, is it?”_

_“We thought not,” said Canow, who looked equally as excited._

_“Wait, what does that mean?” asked Graham, when it had become clear that neither he or Yasmin had any idea what the Solitudins were talking about._

_Canow rolled his eyes, “It means she’s entered a new cycle, even more powerful than the first. She is a perfect weapon, and she could just win us the war.”_

_Yasmin scoffed, “As if she’d ever fight for you.”_

_“Her fate was decided way before we found out about this new development. The only difference this makes is that we will ruin Earth before they even see us coming. Only you three will know that your planet, and everyone you love is being silently murdered,” said Canow._

_The leader looked to Canow, “Does this mean the Time Lord has agreed to our terms?”_

_“Yes, Ma’am.”_

_“What terms?” demanded Graham, “What’s going on?”_

_“Your friend has traded herself for both of your safety. You will work, of course, but we will keep you safe in our cells. You will die on your own terms. She will be brainwashed, as you so crudely put it, in your places. We will keep our words with her, unless you step out of line,” said the leader, sending a pointed look to Yasmin._

_“So she’ll think she’s one of you?” whispered Yasmin as she paled._

_“No,” said Canow, pride in his eyes, “she will not even see herself as a person. She will be a utensil, a tool for battle and nothing more. I doubt she will even remember any of your names, let alone her own. We will take an empty shell of something great and fill it with hatred.”_

_Yasmin choked back a sob and threw her hands over her mouth, which was difficult with the handcuffs that secured them. Graham tried to go and comfort her, but a soldier put its hand to its gun, which made him falter. He watched as the leader basked in Yasmin’s horror._

_“Y-you said ‘both of your safety’. What about Ryan, where is he?” asked Yasmin._

_The leader looked to Canow, who answered, “The boy found out about our plans for the Time Lord and tried to protect her. Pathetic, really. He wounded one of our best soldiers with that temper your planet is famous for. There was nothing we could do, our law takes crimes against our people very seriously, especially when the criminal is from Earth. It had to be done.”_

_The shock moved from Yasmin to Graham like it had been a disease, and Yasmin could see the blood drain from his face. It was heart breaking to watch, and she couldn’t help but look away._

_“What-what do you mean?” asked Yasmin._

_“He was taken to the cells and shot. I can’t promise the walls will be clean before you are thrown down there, but maybe it will serve as a reminder of what happens when you disrespect us,” said Canow._

_A soldier walked forward, grabbing Yasmin by the handcuffs with one hand and throwing the other hand down on her shoulder. The hand slammed into the wound in her skin, but Yasmin didn’t even flinch. She hadn’t even really felt it. The burning, aching sensation had been forgotten like white noise in the background._

_She was dragged violently through the archway, Graham in front of her, not being able to pick up her feet. Her boots screeched across the marble floor but Yasmin found the horrid, piercing noise much easier to listen to than Graham’s sobbing as he wrestled against the hold of the soldiers._

_As they were marched down towards the cells they passed the Doctor, a hollow, haunted expression on her face. She was being marched to the basement with them, the handcuffs around her wrists causing her skin to bleed and blister. She was being taken towards the chambers that held the interrogation room, and Yasmin strained to go with her. A forceful push on her shoulder from the soldier caused her to yelp and stop struggling. The Doctor’s eyes widened with terror Yasmin had never seen before._

_“I’m going to make this right,” said the Doctor in a faraway promise that Yasmin would’ve missed if she hadn’t been staring longingly at her._

_Yasmin nodded, her own words of comfort drowned by the grief-stricken screams of Graham as he was pushed down the stairs, no concern for whether or not he would make it down unharmed. Yasmin turned at the mention of her name and her legs carried her into the cells. She turned around to see the Doctor one last time before they locked the door, but the Time Lord was gone._

 

With a light gasp, Yasmin’s legs weakened, feeling as though they were about to snap and she watched helplessly as they buckled. She tried to call out for the Doctor or Graham to help her, but her mouth wouldn’t let her speak. Her body began to slump when it finally gave in. 

Graham looked alarmed but the Doctor knew what was happening, so Graham watched as the Doctor caught Yasmin by her arms. Graham reached forward and did the same, both of them using the wall beside them to keep her upright. She was muttering to herself, something neither of the others could decode, but after a few seconds her eyes flew open, the lift of her lashes allowing even more tears to fall. 

“No…” said Yasmin, barely audible to the two men, “he’s telling the truth. I-I…. he’s telling the truth.”


	12. The Calm and A Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's taken so long for an update! I wasn't planning on finishing this chapter until the end of the week, but your lovely comments made me sit down and do it! I hope you like it, and I hope it prepares you for what's to come ;)

“What the Hell’s happening to her?” demanded Graham as he watched the Doctor steady her. She was still trembling to the point where it made the Doctor shake with her, but with gulping breaths she managed to calm down. 

The memories had taken a physical toll on her, and they could see how it seemed to drain her. The sudden rush of colour, sound and emotion was overwhelming, and she struggled to remember that she wasn’t there anymore, that was in the past, and now she had to focus on getting out. 

The Doctor had seen the reflections of images in Yasmin’s eyes, and the haunted look that followed. It was emphasised by the glassy effects left behind by the tears in her dark umber eyes. Whatever she had seen, it seemed to confirm the horrors Graham had told her, and she seemed even more set in grief than before. 

“Her memories are coming back, must’ve been triggered by the emotions, grief is a pretty powerful one,” answered the Doctor, unable to take his eyes off the younger woman, “Why don’t you tell us what you saw.” 

“W-what if it’s bad for you to hear?” asked Yasmin, “Butterfly effect and all that.” 

“I haven’t seen any butterflies on this planet, have you? Not even any moths, come to think of it,” said the Doctor. 

“I don’t want to say it,” murmured Yasmin. 

The Doctor’s eyes softened, “Come on, Yaz, after everything that’s happened so far, it wouldn’t be like you to start suffering in silence. If you can whine about your shoulder and your ankle for nearly a week, you can talk to me about this too.” 

Yasmin looked at him for a moment. She knew, behind the shield of his humour, that he knew exactly what grief felt like. Even Yasmin herself had felt it in him when they had been connected, she had felt what had happened to Clara like the young woman had been her own friend. She knew, too, that the Doctor was hurting. This was his own future, after all. He had lost a friend as they all had, but he had lost himself too. 

Yasmin looked up at him with a feverish look in her eyes and gulped, “They’ve brainwashed you…future you…so they can use her for war. Said they’d taken everything of her away and replaced it with hate. Wh-why would they do that?” 

The Doctor sighed, “I told you before, the Doctor isn’t what she seems. We’ve been at the heart of wars since she was a child. Oncoming Storm, that’s what we’re known as on planets that have seen us fight. If the Solitudins are smart, then they’ll know that there’s no captain, commander or marshal who could match her death toll.” 

“That’s a lie! You don’t know her at all!” protested Graham, though he noticed how Yasmin remained quiet and bit her lip. 

“What else?” the Doctor ignored Graham and turned to Yasmin as he asked his question softly. 

“They shot Ryan,” Yasmin mumbled, blinking away any tears that had reformed, “they killed him.” 

The Doctor hesitated for a moment but, regardless of whatever thought had run through his mind, reached out to grab Yasmin’s trembling hand. The gesture managed to stabilise Yasmin, who he worried would only get worse with each memory. He squeezed her hand and she looked up at him with subtle surprise. 

“I’m sorry,” he responded plainly, unable to offer anything sincerer even with all the grief in his own heart. 

Graham, obviously not wanting to relive what Yasmin was, asked, “Is she going to be okay? What will happen if she gets a stronger, worse memory, if one of those even exists?” 

“She’s going to be fine,” said the Doctor sternly, “but right now we have something else to worry about. If we don’t move now, we don’t stand a chance at finding future me. And if we’re trusting your memory, then we better hurry.” 

He used the sonic screwdriver to lock the doors they had stepped through, and as the third lock clicked light erupted from inside the cell room, making them all shield their eyes. The Doctor pulled Yasmin and Graham around a corner before the Solitudins who had teleported in could see them. Yasmin was still unsteady so the Doctor grabbed her hand again. 

They followed the curved wall until they were completely out of the view of the soldiers. They hadn’t bothered to paint the walls below the building, so they were made of chipped brick, but the steep, metal stairs that led up from the basement looked even more sinister. Yasmin put one foot on the step and cringed at the loud echo of her boot against the metal. She ignored it and stepped again, but the Doctor pulled her back. 

“What was that for?” she hissed as his hand grasped at the sleeves of his own jacket. 

“I go, you follow,” the Doctor hissed back, skipping up almost soundlessly to the step above her. 

“Who gave you that ego?” asked Yasmin, though the question went ignored as the Doctor concentrated on the door at the top of the stairs. 

The door was much less technical than the one that now separated them from the cells, and they found it wasn’t even unlocked. Suspicious, the Doctor opened the door slightly, so it was just ajar, and checked to see if anyone was around. Yasmin relaxed when the door opened and she heard nothing on the other side but she stayed close to the Doctor anyway. 

She was disappointed to find even more clinical, white walls waiting for her on the other side of the door. She had remembered them from the memory that had surfaced, and they brought the feeling of hopelessness with them. Yasmin shook her head, realising that she’d take the eerily clean walls over the cells any day. At least she wouldn’t have to face the walls that were soaked in blood again. The sound of the Doctor’s screwdriver snapped Yasmin out of her thoughts and she looked up to find him locking the door behind them. 

“If I remember correctly, and we all know I do, then all we have to do is get past the interrogation chambers and then we’ll be at the Queen’s quarters, as the leader calls it,” explained the Doctor. 

“That’s the room I saw in my memory, isn’t it?” said Yasmin. 

“Well, I don’t know Yaz, considering memories are usually not shared out loud,” shrugged the Doctor. 

Yasmin rolled her eyes, “I think it is. I remember one of the leaders, seemed to think she was a queen. You met her, Graham, did you Doctor?” 

Graham grimaced and nodded in confirmation. 

“I did,” said the Doctor, “not the most charming queen I’ve ever met. Her name’s Batilde and she really doesn’t like you lot. There’s a group of four leaders, but she’s the front of house. I think the others are busy dealing with the war they think is around the corner.” 

“If it wasn’t round the corner before, it will be when they use the Doctor and the TARDIS against Earth,” Yasmin commented quietly. 

“We better hurry then,” said the Doctor. 

“Why are you helping us?” blurted out Graham, “Wouldn’t you rather keep yourself safe?” 

The Doctor’s eyebrows raised, “I don’t know if the scepticism is a side effect of being the resident adult, Graham, but maybe save it for the people you actually have to watch out for. Like, I don’t know, everyone else on this planet.” 

They came to a corner and the Doctor stuck out his arm, “Hang about here, I’m going to make sure no one’s in the interrogation rooms. If they are, we have to find somewhere to hide until they leave, or we’ll definitely get caught. And we don’t want to get caught until we’ve had a word with the lovely Batilde. Or maybe your mate Canow, Yaz.” 

“Let me come with you! What if something happens?” protested Yasmin. 

“If something happens, what do you plan on doing about it? We’ve both seen you try and fight a Solitudin. Just stay here, would you? Keep Graham company,” demanded the Doctor. 

“But-” began Yasmin, but the Doctor had already turned the corner with a pointed look and a flourish. 

Yasmin sighed defeatedly as she watched him walk away. She could see the back of his grey head in the distance as he quietly peered into each room, checking to see if any of them were occupied. Yasmin wondered if the Doctor thought he’d meet his future self in one of the interrogation rooms, but she knew deep down that her Doctor’s fate would be worse than an interrogation. 

Yasmin turned to Graham to speak to him and noticed his distrustful glare towards the Doctor. The Doctor was oblivious to it, of course he was, but that hadn’t stopped Yasmin from noticing. She felt defensive of him, but pushed it away. 

“Why are you doing that?” asked Yasmin, her eyes narrowed at Graham. 

“Doing what?” 

“Treating the Doctor like he’s a stranger,” explained Yasmin. 

“That man is a stranger, Yaz. Does he seem even slightly like the Doc to you? I know you say they’re the same person, but they couldn’t be any more different.”

“They’re not different; one’s just even better at lying than the other, and hiding how they feel,” said Yasmin, her tone growing grimmer. 

Graham frowned, “Well that’s true, I ‘aven’t seen anyone use sarcasm and insults like that since the Doc decided to take us to Liverpool.” 

Yasmin looked up at Graham, “I wasn’t talking about him.” 

Graham’s eyebrow raised, “Hang on, you think the Doc-our Doc-is the one hiding things from us?” 

“Think about it Graham, how much do we really know about her? We didn’t even know that we weren’t the first, she whisked humans away long before she met us. You say he’s guarded, and you think he lies to us, but I really don’t think she’s any different.”

Yasmin hadn’t meant to be angry at the Doctor, her Doctor. She was, still, just as confused as Graham, but she couldn’t understand why the woman she had considered to be so open and warm would hide so much from her. She felt a pang of something, somewhere between anger and jealousy, and found herself looking subconsciously towards the Doctor. She wondered if he told Clara everything. 

“So, what? You’re angry with the Doctor for not telling ya something, but I’m sure there’s plenty you haven’t told her. She doesn’t know everything about us, it just seems like she’s hiding things because she’s been alive for bloody centuries,” said Graham. 

“Name one thing she doesn’t know about you, or me?” asked Yasmin, her arms folded across her chest. 

“She doesn’t know that Grace and I once had a cat called Hobbit. She called it that because it had three legs and it used to ‘hobbit’ around our house. She thought it was hilarious. Also, she doesn’t know that I lived in Paris for three years before I met her and still can’t speak even one word of French,” when Yasmin nodded slowly, Graham continued, “And as for you…she doesn’t know that you’re allergic to tomatoes, that you’re a dog person, or that you used to get crushes on all your English teachers.” 

Yasmin’s eyes widened and Graham chuckled, “Ryan told me about that one.” 

“Well, okay, but none of those things exactly match up to the Doctor’s ‘I change my face when I die and I’ve had God knows how many faces…oh yeah and I pick up humans and bring them into space all the time’, do they?” argued Yasmin. 

“We’re not Time Lords either, Yaz, ‘normal’ means very different things to us,” pointed out Graham. 

Yasmin nodded wordlessly and she was glad of it when the Doctor suddenly appeared at the corner, putting his hand over Yasmin’s mouth when she cried out in surprise. She glared at him until he removed his mouth. 

He gave her an awkward smile, “Coast’s all clear, what are you waiting for? Come on.” 

“They’re all empty then, are they?” asked Yasmin. 

“Yeah. Strange, really, they were interrogating three other prisoners after me. Maybe they’re with the leaders, and we’ll find them with your Doctor,” mused the Doctor. 

“Save four instead of one?”

The Doctor grinned at Graham, “Now you’re getting it.” 

Yasmin hesitated for a moment before walking on with the Doctor and Graham. They both noticed and watched as she paused.

“What now?” asked the Doctor, though she could tell he was worried about her. 

“If-when we see the Doctor, I need you both to let me talk to her alone. Distract the leaders, do whatever, but I think I can snap her out of it. Ryan…he did it once with his dad, we were all there, and I think I understand her now. I know what I need to say,” said Yasmin. 

The Doctor shrugged, “I’ve listened to worse people in my life, who’s to say I won’t listen to you?” 

“Yaz,” said Graham, his tone weary, “remember what you saw, in your memory. The Doctor wasn’t just brainwashed…everything in her was replaced with hate. She thinks Ryan’s death was her fault, and that her punishment for it is to fight. She doesn’t think she can be free again until she’s killed all of Earth, herself along with it. This isn’t the same as it was with Ryan’s dad…the hatred was the Dalek’s then, but it’s hers now. Trying to reach her…it’s going to be nearly impossible. I can’t have her hurting you.” 

Yasmin bristled defensively, “She’d never hurt me.” 

“Yasmin,” said Graham, sterner than before, “she made you forget about her for a reason! It wasn’t just so you wouldn’t come back, it was so you’d never had to see the person she’s become! The thought of you seeing her like that, like she’s a monster, was too much for her. You can’t change her, and she knew that. If you provoke her, or try and bring the real you back, I don’t doubt that she’ll try and kill you.” 

Yasmin whipped around to face him, and the Doctor flinched. He could tell she was angry, but he also knew the soldiers weren’t far away. 

“Don’t you dare say that about her!” 

“It’s not her, Yaz! That’s what I’m saying. Trust me, she has no idea who she is, let alone who you are,” said Graham. 

The Doctor stuck out his arms, one to hold Yasmin back and another to warn Graham. They began to protest but the Doctor shushed them harshly. 

“Did you idiots forget,” hissed the Doctor, “that we could be captured at any minute and we don’t have time for your stupid argument! You humans never know the time or place, do you?” 

“You should be listening to this,” glared Yasmin, “that’s you he’s talking about.” 

“Well, considering I haven’t met her yet, and you’ve only just remembered what you’ve been doing before we met, I’d say Graham’s the best judge of her character we’ve got,” shrugged the Doctor.

“How do you know, anyway?” asked Yasmin, trying to hide the fact that the Doctor siding with Graham over had annoyed her. 

Graham lowered his eyes and bowed his head, “Two days after Ryan was shot, and you had run off God knows where, the Doctor came to visit me. She was with Canow, all dressed in some stupid military uniform. It’s jarring, y’know, seeing someone go from a rainbow t-shirt to a desert-coloured suit with who knows’ blood on it. She marched in like she was showing off…and she didn’t know who I was. I reached out to touch her, and she screamed. She-she told me if I ever did that again…then it wouldn’t be…just Ryan’s blood on the walls.” 

“She wouldn’t,” whispered Yasmin, though it was much less convincing than before. 

“Yaz,” said the Doctor, two hands on her shoulders, “let’s be heroes now, and save the emotion for later, okay? Feeling will get us killed. Can you do that?” 

Yasmin looked into his steel eyes and mirrored him like a robot, “I can do that.” 

Without warning, an alarm blared above their heads, very similar to the one they had heard before. It made Yasmin’s heart lurch, and she looked in fear to the Doctor for a plan. He hadn’t cringed like the others had and instead jogged over to where he had come from. 

“This way’s still clear, so I guess they got through the trail of locks we left behind. Now let’s go!” he barked, standing aside to push Graham ahead, and then Yasmin. 

They ran down the corridor, and Yasmin couldn’t help but glance into the interrogation rooms. They looked like the cells, although with white walls instead of concrete, and the creepy interior made her shudder. The barred windows showed the table and chairs they had all been sat at so long ago, and Yasmin knew from experience what the box that sat on the table held. The Doctor pushed her lightly on and she ran ahead, feet stomping onto the ground in time with the deafening siren. 

Graham ran first, followed by the others, the white walls becoming basked in the red light that followed the alarms. It was disorientating, Yasmin thought, as she struggled to run. Her bruised, cramped legs were begging her to stop, but she knew what would happen if she did. Instead, she gritted her teeth and let the Doctor push her ahead. 

Yasmin looked over to him breathlessly and reached out her hand towards it. He looked at it, like he wasn’t sure what it meant, but Yasmin rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand when he hesitated. 

“Heroes?” she panted, as the alarm around them grew louder. 

The Doctor gave her a kind smile, “Maybe I was being a bit ambitious with that one. But it’s the thought that counts.”


	13. Truth or Consequence

Yasmin sprinted, every inch of her body screaming for her to stop, but her adrenaline grew with every sound of the alarm, and every flash of red. Her wide eyes just watched the Doctor’s feet as he ran in front of her, his boots guiding her. She couldn’t stop, she knew that. 

It took around another five minutes for the alarms to stop, and for them to finally feel safe enough to stop running. Yasmin struggled to catch her breath and worried that her lungs would finally give up. The Doctor pushed her back gently so they were all pressed against the wall, just in case anyone was looking for them. 

“Why did it stop?” asked Graham once he had finally got his own breath back. 

“Maybe it was a proximity alarm, and we went too close to something they wanted to keep safe. Or maybe we weren’t the reason for the alarm. No need to worry about it now,” said the Doctor, though Yasmin read the worry on his face as clear as if she had read his mind. 

“We should be careful, though, in case they’re close,” pointed out Yasmin. 

“Stop worrying, we’re out of the storm now. In fact, I’d say we’re getting very close to the Queen’s quarters. As soon as we get through this maze of corridors, though. I’m good at mazes, and Graham looks like he’d be good at puzzles, so it shouldn’t take us too long,” said the Doctor. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Graham. 

“Nothing,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“So, are you going to let me talk to the Doctor?” asked Yasmin, looking up hopefully to him. 

He cringed, “That’s going to get so confusing. Yes, it’s probably best if she doesn’t see me anyway. Let’s just say, she’d be better off not being reminded of what I’ve seen. Besides, who’s to say we won’t both explode if we see each other.” 

“You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?” asked Yasmin. 

“Only a little.” 

“Well, next time you do explode, don’t come crying to me,” warned Yasmin. 

“Please, if I’m about to explode, you’d have definitely already exploded,” scoffed the Doctor. 

“Great, when you two are done, shouldn’t we decide what we’re going to do next?” asked Graham, arms folded across his chest.   
“I’m going to go and talk to the Doctor, and you two are going to stay safe somewhere,” ordered Yasmin. 

“Oh, no way am I letting you go alone!” argued Graham. 

“Now’s not the time, Graham,” said Yasmin. 

“No, he’s right. You’re not going alone. We don’t even know if she is in the quarters, you might find something worse. Or, you find your Doctor and she tries to kill you. Either way, really shouldn’t be a solo mission.” 

“If we go looking for the Doctor, what are you going to do? None of us should be alone here,” asked Yasmin. 

“I’m hardly alone, there’s another me lurking about somewhere. Besides, if I track down the leaders, then they’ll be nothing to hurt you,” argued the Doctor. 

“What if something happens?” asked Graham. 

The Doctor turned to Yasmin and dug around in his pocket, “Take this. You know how important it is to me, and you know it’s a promise that I will find you.” 

Yasmin gestured to the coat she adorned, “And I promise to find you, because you’re going to need your coat back.” 

“It’s disgusting now, you can keep it,” said the Doctor, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. 

“I’ll give you two a minute,” said Graham gently, “I’ll be up ahead waiting, Yaz. And Doc, thank you. You know, for keeping us alive and for coming to find in in the future.” 

The Doctor grinned and shook his hand, “At least I know I still choose my friends carefully. It’ll be an honour to meet you again.” 

Graham nodded and walked up the white corridor, sparing Yasmin a glance before disappearing. He had clearly seen the frown that was developing on Yasmin’s face, and the hurt in her eyes. The Doctor had too. 

“So, what’s wrong with you then?” asked the Doctor once Graham had gotten far enough ahead. 

“What are you talking about?” asked Yasmin, though she knew how defensive she had sounded. 

“You know what. All this mopping about. Very human of you, and that isn’t a compliment,” said the Doctor. 

“I’m fine,” came her response as her hands toyed with the fabric of the Doctor’s coat. 

“Don’t sound it,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“It’s none of your business.” 

“I’m here to save the day, not to babysit, so stop acting like a child,” said the Doctor. 

Yasmin huffed, but seeing her point proven, she couldn’t help the gently curling smile of her lips. The Doctor returned it himself, but he wouldn’t drop the conversation that easily. 

“I know you’re upset,” he added, “about your Doctor, and about how things went down with Graham. And you’re looking at me like you’re rethinking everything you thought you knew. But listen to me, she isn’t a monster. Despite whatever I said, she’s good.” 

“It’s not that…you sound like you’re saying goodbye,” said Yasmin, quietly. 

“I’m not saying goodbye, I’ll see you again,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“Don’t lie to me. Don’t be like her.” 

“For the last time Yaz, I am her. I can’t say goodbye to you, because you’re in my future, whether I like it or not. This is all going to happen to me in the future, even though it’ll be in your past. It’s…confusing, but I’m not leaving you.” 

“If you don’t come back,” said Yasmin, “as you, not her, and say goodbye…you’ll regret it.” 

“I wouldn’t dare.” 

Yasmin narrowed her eyes, and the Doctor thought she was going to argue further, but instead she eyed him up and down. To his surprise, she pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. This time, he didn’t hesitate to hug her back, though his face still twisted uncomfortably, but it eventually formed a smile. 

“Goodbye, Yaz. Don’t leave Graham waiting.” 

With a flourish, the Doctor pulled away from Yasmin and disappeared down an opposite corridor, leaving Yasmin to watch him go as she put the sonic screwdriver in her pocket. She regretted having to turn away from the Doctor but Graham was waiting, so she jogged after him. 

“Everything okay?” asked Graham. Yasmin nodded. 

“Let’s just go.” 

“Uh, sure,” said Graham as Yasmin fell into step beside him. 

They moved ahead silently, the quiet around them as heavy as if it were a real object. Yasmin could see how it weighed on Graham but couldn’t find any words to say to him. She tried hard to forget her worries and try to work out what she was going to say to her Doctor, but none of the words felt right. Graham watched as her lips moved, forming words, but dying before she could speak them. 

“What are you going to say?” asked Graham, deciding her fears would be eased if she voiced them. 

“I guess…I’ll know when I see her?” said Yasmin, scratching the back of her neck. 

Graham nodded wisely, “You think you’re going to say the wrong thing because you’re struggling to trust her now. You’re conflicted, and you think you’ll end up severing her ties with reality even more.” 

“Well, yeah,” said Yasmin, “this is our only chance. We won’t be able to escape again, they’ll kill us. It’s on me to help her.” 

“Give her some credit,” said Graham, patting Yasmin’s unharmed shoulder, “she’s strong. She just needs a little guidance, that’s all.” 

“You’ve changed your tune,” huffed Yasmin. 

“It’s not her, she’s different, I meant that, but it doesn’t mean we can’t get her back. After everything we’ve been through with her, there’s no reason we can’t save her.” 

Yasmin took a deep breath, “Yeah. Us against the Doctor and a planet, easy. All we have to do is get the Doctor to remember who she is, before we get killed.” 

They let their conversation drift away as they came to a corner, listening to only the sound of their breathing and their footsteps. Yasmin ran her hand along the smooth white wall beside her, putting some of her weight on it as she grew tired. She pictured her bed at home, and the thousands of pillows that came with it, and then her bed on the TARDIS, that was softer than anything on Earth, according to the Doctor. She really hoped she'd return to them soon. Maybe she should ask the Doctor to heal her before she gets home, though, considering how she told her family that she was just spending the night at Ryan's. That had made them suspicious enough. 

Graham opened his mouth to tell Yasmin that he had heard a noise, but her gasp interrupted him. It echoed around the corridor, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. She had been walking ahead of him, most likely as a hint that she didn’t want to talk, so she had reached the corner before him. 

“Yaz!” he cried. 

As she had turned the corner ahead of him, something had grabbed her by the arm and pulled her around it. He sprinted forward, calling out her name, to find her squirming in the arms of a Solitudin solider that had been waiting for her. 

"Looks like the criminals fell right into our hands, you really are about as clever as Canow says," smiled the soldier. 

"How did you find us?" asked Graham. 

It waved a miniature tablet at Graham, showing him how the two of them were being tracked. The black dots that represented the humans flashed on a map of the corridors, “Did you two forget that we can track your every move?” 

“Let me go!” she grunted. 

“I don’t think so. The leaders will be very happy to have you back where you cannot run. Though, they did enjoy watching you run around like mice trapped in an experiment,” said the soldier, roughly grabbing Yasmin’s wrist. 

It summoned more soldiers, two that grabbed each of Graham’s wrists. He shouted and protested, but they ignored him. 

“There’s someone who wants to talk to you again,” sneered the soldier who held Yasmin, who began to drag her back the way they had come. 

Instead of taking them back to the cells, however, the solider pressed a button hidden on the walls and revealed a door. Yasmin sighed, wondering how many shortcuts they could’ve taken if they had known. It looked almost like a hologram but they stepped through it. Yasmin had expected to see something other than white walls, or even to be back in her cell, but instead found it even more familiar. They were standing outside the rooms they had only just walked past not long ago. 

The soldiers had taken them back to the interrogation rooms that they had passed once before. This time, one of them was occupied, and Yasmin was deafened by the cries that escaped through the closed doors. She peered in the window and found the victim was a Solitudin, not the Doctor, and felt guilty for her relief. 

“Both of you, in that one,” spoke a soldier in a gruff voice, ushering them towards the door opposite the screaming Solitudin. 

“Wait,” began Yasmin, as if she had anything to bargain with, but she was drowned out by the unlocking and opening of the door. 

A soldier pushed her roughly into the chair and she would’ve complained, if he hadn’t disappeared back through the door immediately. Graham was pushed through the door before it was slammed shut, and he had to grab a wall to stop himself from falling over. He looked at Yasmin, panicked, so she tried to hide her frown. 

She remembered the room. She remembered being the first one taken to be interrogated and hearing her Doctor’s pleas as she was dragged away. Pain after pain meant she had mostly forgotten the questions she had been asked, but she did remember being half-carried back to the leader’s room in shock. She had rested on her Doctor as she watched as Graham was taken away too, and then Ryan. She remembered how it had hurt and shivered. 

The room was simple, with nothing but a stained wooden floor and two wooden chairs separated by a desk, all of which were bolted to the ground. She remembered how naively relived she had been, the first time, to find it looking so mundane. She hadn't realised that it was the people, not the room itself, that provided the torture.

“We were here once before, weren’t we?” asked Yasmin quietly. 

“When we first came to the planet, yeah,” explained Graham. 

She sighed, “Feels like a lifetime ago, now.” 

“We could try running?” suggested Graham, though he knew neither of them would get very far. He was weak, tired and she was practically asleep on her feet. Plus, her various injuries slowed them both down. 

“No, listen,” said Yasmin, “there’s people talking on the other side of the door. I don’t think we’ll be alone for much longer.” 

She had wanted it to be the Doctor, but she knew it wasn’t. All she could do was hope that he was safe, somewhere, and not worrying about them. 

The door creaked open, and Yasmin found herself again face to face with Canow. He wore his full military uniform, as if he was preparing for war that very day and gave Yasmin a sarcastically sweet smile. His strong arm held the door open and he saluted with the other as one of the leaders stepped through the door. The soldiers, and Canow stepped aside for her as she sauntered past Graham. She took a seat opposite Yasmin, neglecting both Canow and Graham’s presence, and waited for Canow to lock the door of the room. 

“Yasmin Khan,” greeted Batilde, with a sultry tone, “just when I thought you’d be too slippery to catch. How does someone with your skills for escapism manage to find her way into the heart of the Circle?” 

“It’s where all the action is, isn’t it?” asked Yasmin as she leaned back in the wooden chair, doing her best impression of the Doctor. 

The smile faltered on Batilde’s face, “Don’t be cute. We all know it wasn’t bravery that brought you here, it was stupidity. We’ll make sure you don’t escape a third time, and you’ll regret ever stepping into the Circle.” 

Yasmin didn’t respond, but she kept her eye contact. 

In her memories, Batilde had looked almost like a goddess, but up close Yasmin changed her mind. The scars told Yasmin that she did more than just fantasise about war, and whatever soul people saw in eyes was hidden behind malice. Her hair, almost the red of her skin, was braided into a crown around her head. She clasped her hands together, letting them bang on the table as she leaned forward towards Yasmin. 

“Word in the Circle is that you’ve got your memories back,” spoke Batilde, amusement dancing in her dark eyes. 

“How would you know that?” asked Yasmin, her eyes narrowed.

“You remember that tracker in your neck,” asked Batilde, tapping her own with her forefinger, “it isn’t just to track you. It’s a health monitor too. After all, would’ve been no point hunting you if you were dead. The spikes in your brain activity told our doctors what happened.” 

“Bit invasive, don’t you think?” 

Batilde shrugged, “Freedom is a reward for conformity. And on our planet, you’ll never taste freedom again.” 

“You probably remember being interrogated once,” interrupted Canow, “but unfortunately new information has come to light. There are some questions we need to ask. I do hope you’ll understand.” 

“Not again.” Said Yasmin, her words too close to being a plea for her liking. 

“I think that’s unnecessary,” interjected Graham, though he was promptly ignored. 

“Do you want to be next?” asked Batilde, sending a pointed glance over to Graham. 

“I-I mean you’ve already interrogated us all before. Why do you need to do it again?” asked Graham. 

“Because,” drawled Batilde, “new information is now required. The human girl has now escaped from our cells twice. That’s impossible, it should be even for a Solitudin. Our council thinks your visit is more than sizing our planet up for war. Some think you, girl, are going to be the reason for the war.” 

“That’s ridiculous,” said Yasmin, though she knew the Doctor’s tricks were being pinned on her. If they found out she wasn’t responsible, than both of the Time Lords would be in even more danger. 

Batilde’s hands unwound themselves and moved towards Yasmin’s face. She flinched, but they moved so slowly that she knew they couldn’t hurt her. Instead, the leader felt for her face, moving her hands from Yasmin’s temples, to her cheeks and to her jaw. 

Her eyes drifted to Canow, and Yasmin followed her gaze. From his belt, Canow had withdrawn some sort of unlabelled vial, holding it tightly in one hand. The liquid looked the colour of moss, and almost glittered, but it looked threatening enough for Yasmin’s heart to race. 

The woman held her jaw with her graceful, smooth hands. Yasmin’s eyes wandered down to them, and she wondered how they remained so impeccable, and so still. Her grip tightened until Yasmin’s mouth fell open. She tried to shake Batilde off and beg her to let go, but she wasn’t able to form any coherent sentences. Yasmin found it almost embarrassing, pleading to the self-proclaimed queen as if she were drunk. Canow, who had been admiring the exchange from a distance, handed Batilde the small bottle she had gestured for. 

It reminded Yasmin of the bottles that lined a medicine cabinet, something she’d find abandoned in her bathroom, but she judged by the grave, sneering expression on Canow’s face that it wasn’t something so mundane. 

“Look, you don’t have to do this, she’ll tell you the truth,” said Graham. He made a desperate attempt to pry himself free from where Canow had backed him into a corner, but Canow pinned his arms back and he twisted uncomfortably. He made one angrier, violent attempt when he saw the man bring the bottle closer to Yasmin’s lips. 

“Please, stop,” he cried. 

“This is a compound called Veripetu. Basically, it’ll burn like you’re drinking vinegar. That is, unless you lie. Anything even straying from the truth will strike you like poison. It’ll be unbearable enough that you won’t try it again. It’ll last for fifteen minutes, so you better sit quietly until asked a question,” said Batilde, holding the bottle. 

Yasmin nodded obediently, as much as she could with the leader’s grip on her. Canow began to take a ball of rope, which had knotted itself over time, and wind it around her wrists and ankles. She couldn’t express how unnecessary it was, so she just kept her eyes fixed on Graham. 

He willed her to tell the truth, and his eyes pleaded for her to find a way out. Yasmin didn’t want to show him how worried she was. Truthfully, the memories she had recovered still hurt to remember, as if her body was willing her not to, and she wasn’t yet sure which ones could be used against the Doctor or not. She knew one thing, though. She couldn’t tell them about the Doctor she had found, not if she didn’t want to hand them another weapon. 

Without warning, Batilde tipped the bottle up and made her drink the dark green liquid. She coughed wildly, tears streaming from her eyes, as the Veripetu scorched her throat. It was sort of like vinegar, she decided, but also like a shot of vodka. Batilde let go of her jaw and she fell forward, trying to cough the liquid from her body. It felt like it had stuck itself onto her throat and she fought the urge to scratch at her neck. She wondered if it was even safe for her to drink, considering how it was usually used on Solitudin criminals, and if the pain would be the least of her problems. 

“What is your name?” Batilde asked her. 

“Yasmin,” she responded. 

She waited for another question, but both Batilde and Canow just looked at her with a gleam in their eyes. Her stomach churned as she realised why. It took over her quickly, and it felt as if someone had lit a match onto her organs. They were on fire and it felt as if she was burning from the inside. Yasmin tried to close her eyes and tell herself it wasn’t real, the pain was just a trick, but it felt too real. 

Graham lunged forward but Canow kicked the back of his legs, making him kneel on the ground. He watched on helplessly as Yasmin struggled in her chair. 

“Tell me the truth, or it won’t stop,” said Batilde. 

Yasmin narrowed her eyes, breathing heavily, as she tried to figure out what the leader had meant. She grew frustrated as her mind refused to take its focus from the pain. With a gasp, she tried to work out how her truth had become a lie. 

“Yasmin Rana Khan,” she breathed. The pain came to an abrupt end, and it left Yasmin questioning whether or not it had ever even really been there. 

“Now you see you can’t manipulate the truth. You can’t tell me half of the story, or else this won’t work. Do you understand me?” spoke Batilde. 

Yasmin nodded. 

“So, what makes you so special to the Time Lord?” asked Batilde, accusation in her eyes. 

Yasmin avoided eye contact with Graham, and her head lowered, “I don’t know.” 

They all waited for the pain to come, but it didn’t. Yasmin knew she was speaking the truth. The more she learned about the Doctor, and in turn her own Doctor, the more they felt like strangers. She, truthfully, didn’t know what she meant to the Time Lord, who had kept things from her since they’d first met. Her hesitation hadn’t numbed the pain of hearing Batilde talk about her Doctor, though, especially as her mind raced with ideas of what Batilde had done to her. 

Canow was unsatisfied, “I’m going to ask you another question. Why did you come here?”

There was a long, painful pause. She didn’t know whether the silence came from her fear to give anything up or if she couldn’t stomach the threat of the Veripetu again. 

“It was an accident, I made a mistake. We landed on the wrong planet, I didn’t even know about your history with humans.” 

Canow looked to Batilde as if he was sceptical, but she ignored him. Yasmin knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, but she was vulnerable in their hands, and it would only take one wrong word or revelation for her to be in trouble. Not that she wasn’t already in it, of course. 

“I have a question for her,” said Batilde, “who is the man you have befriended? He isn’t like the others.” 

Yasmin gulped and replied through gritted teeth, “He’s someone who wants to help, he isn’t here to hurt anyone…and he’s someone I trust.” 

The pain came again. It was just as bad, maybe even worse, than the first time. She gagged, feeling a nauseating taste of metallic on her tongue. She hadn’t been lying. Her anger towards the Doctor-her Doctor-had confused the Veripetu, and now she was paying for it. 

“I knew she’d lie! They’re here for war!” shouted Canow, his hands pressing down on Graham’s shoulders. 

“Earth doesn’t want a war!” shouted Yasmin, though she realised she knew nothing about her planet’s future. It wasn’t as though Earth was known for being peaceful; the Doctor had once let slip about the Third World War after all. 

The pain had begun to build. Yasmin thought she’d start screaming if it didn’t stop soon, though she couldn’t be sure she wasn’t already. Her senses were muddled and blurred, and a ringing had been building in her ears. She needed to tell them the truth, but she didn’t know what it was. 

“How did you escape the Circle? Did your friend help you?” asked Canow. 

“No!” shouted Yasmin. 

Lie. The Doctor had helped her escape. It was just a different version of the Doctor. The pain seared through her body again. 

“Tell us the truth!”

The voices became distorted. Her head lulled to the side and her eyes tried to find Graham, but they landed on Canow instead. She heard footsteps around her and her heartbeat quickened its pace. Every one of her senses had spiked and she was frustratingly unaware of what was happening. 

She became able to recognise voices and where they were coming from once the numbing white noise had stopped. There was a lot less noise than before, and she was aware of a few people standing around her. The first thing she saw was soft honey-blonde hair that cropped and framed the figure’s face, and concerned hazel eyes looking down at her. The figure came in and out of focus, and Yasmin squinted as she tried to make sense of it. Her eyes unblurred and she caught a glimpse of rainbow. 

“Doctor?” Yasmin croaked. 

She tried to squirm from her bounds, desperate to reach out to the Doctor, but a hand on her arm stopped her. Her vision swam and she searched for whoever the arm belonged to. The young, pretty face of her Doctor morphed as she blinked, becoming the stern older face of the man she recognised so well. The rainbow shirt became a bloodied, dirty white shirt and warm eyes turned to a cool blue. 

“Hey idiot, slow down. Of course it’s me. Stay still for a minute,” said the Doctor, though not the one Yasmin had thought she’d seen. 

“Are you okay?” breathed Graham as he noticed the growing fluster of the younger woman. 

“No,” said Yasmin, too afraid to lie. 

“Well,” began the Doctor with a whistle, “you better hurry up and get okay.” 

Yasmin looked up to notice that the Doctor hadn’t come to rescue them or help them escape. Instead, he had come through the now open door, pushed through it by a soldier who now stood beside Canow. Rows of soldiers now stood outside the interrogation room, waiting obediently for orders from Batilde. Each gun that rested in their hands seemed larger and more sinister than the one before it. 

“You know what to do,” Batilde hummed to Canow, who looked to the three travellers like he was already picturing their bodies strewn across the desert in triumph. 

“We’re screwed,” breathed Yasmin, so confident that the words she had spoken were the truth, she even risked being tortured over it again.


	14. Doctor, Doctor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the really late updates, but it's exam season and I have a lot to get through. I will try and update whenever I can. I hope you like this one, and I hope you all stick with me and keep reading. Thank you so much, as always, for the incredible support

The Doctor stood protectively in front of Yasmin and held out an arm in a gesture that showed Graham was now under his protection too. Batilde looked bored as she turned to Canow, who looked as if he was bracing for a fight. 

“Take the girl first, and the others will follow,” said Batilde, stepping back to allow Canow to make his way over to Yasmin. 

“Where are you taking her?” demanded the Doctor. 

“You’re all,” said Batilde, emphasising her words, “going to the Quarters. The other leaders are waiting with their latest pet.” 

Yasmin bristled, knowing they were referring to the Doctor, “Are you going to make us pets as well then? Put us to work until we die, that was the plan last time wasn’t it?” 

Batilde sighed, “That didn’t really work out last time, did it? The leaders are going to have a council to decide what to do with you, so they want to meet you. Just a warning, you won’t like my proposition.” 

Canow grabbed Yasmin’s arm but, before she could protest, snapped hand cuffs onto them so they were bound in front of her. She had forgotten how painful they were as the scratched and bruised her wrists and flinched. She heard two soldiers rush forward after a request from Batilde and trap the Doctor and Graham with hand cuffs too. 

“After you,” hissed Canow, gesturing for Yasmin to walk ahead of him. She felt vulnerable, unable to use her hands, so she did as he asked and walked through the door ahead. The corridor was lined with soldiers, and Yasmin wondered how much of a threat she was considered to be. She supposed it wasn’t her they were afraid of, but the Doctor, they just didn’t know it. 

The door behind her was slammed shut as Batilde marched the Doctor and Graham down the corridor, hordes of soldiers beside them. She exchanged a glance with Graham, listening to the Doctor irritate the soldier who stood beside him. 

Batilde took the lead, a circle of soldiers around her, and the others followed behind. As she walked the corridors seemed to merge around her, and they reminded Yasmin of the moving staircases in Hogwarts. She probably would’ve been fascinated, if she wasn’t so scared. The Doctor seemed more interested, running his hands along the walls as they moved, clearly trying to work out the technology behind it. 

Yasmin focused her attention to her feet as they dragged along the floor. She had been growing tired. Not the same tired she’d been before, of course, it was much worse than that. Every part of her body had been screaming at her for help, but now they subsided into a stinging ache as if they had given up hope of attention. She didn’t have the time, resources or energy to help herself, so she prayed silently that she wouldn’t stop until they were back on the TARDIS, not when there was so much at stake. 

The others had taken into account her slowing pace kindly. The Doctor himself had seen what she had been through, and Graham could tell by the burning, bruises and blood that she had been given a less fortunate few days than he had. So they slowed down, one man on either side of her, until the soldiers behind them prodded their backs with guns to urge them on. 

“If you don’t hurry up,” said Batilde, “I’ll have them replace the guns with cattle prods.” 

“Do they have cows on this planet?” Yasmin whispered to the Doctor. 

“How am I meant to know?” hissed the Doctor. 

Yasmin shrugged, shooting the Doctor a glance, and carried on walking. She was grateful to have left the interrogation room, but even more grateful that the drug in her system had worn off. She had a feeling she would have some more lying to do. Free from the potion, she marched ahead, relief bringing back the adrenaline she needed to stay on her feet. 

“Are you alright?” asked Graham when he noticed her wince. 

“Yeah,” she answered shakily, “I’m just wondering what I should say to the Doctor, now that we’re bound to run into her. I-I don’t think I’m ready yet.”

Graham frowned, and Yasmin turned to the Doctor, “You know her…you are her, after all. I know I wanted to talk to her alone but can’t you come with me?” 

Truthfully, Yasmin was scared. She was scared not only for the Doctor, but also for herself. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to take it if her Doctor had seen her and not recognised her. Or worse, hurt her. At least with the Doctor to protect her, she wouldn’t be vulnerable to the brainwashed Time Lord, and her emotions could remain intact. 

The Doctor bowed his head, “I can’t be here when she sees you, Yaz.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because, I’ve seen my future now. I know what happens to me. Now, it’s a fixed, inevitable point in time and she’ll know I can’t save her from it. If she sees me, she’ll lose whatever hope she’s managed to salvage.” 

“What’s your plan, then? I can’t imagine they’ll let you go anywhere on your own. They think you helped me escape,” asked Yasmin. 

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll think of a plan eventually. As long as she sees you, and doesn’t see me, we’ll be fine, and I'll be able to find you when you're safe,” shrugged the Doctor. 

“What happens if we lose you?” asked Yasmin quietly. 

“We split up once before, and I seem to remember that I was the one who came to your rescue. We should be worried about you, not me.” 

Yasmin tilted her head to the side pointedly, not in the mood to humour him, “I don’t want you to be alone.” 

“I was doing fine before I met you, wasn’t I? Now Yaz, stop stalling and go find her before we’re all in trouble,” said the Doctor, focusing the demand towards Graham, who looked on edge as he waited for Yasmin to follow him. 

“I’m not stalling,” grumbled Yasmin. 

“Yes, you are. You’re afraid of what you’re going to find, and how she’s going to react to you. And I can’t promise she’ll be happy to see you, but you can’t back out now,” said the Doctor, pushing Yasmin gently towards Graham. 

“You know, I’m not just worried about that, bad things always happen when groups split up,” commented Yasmin. 

“Yeah, that’s films. Not real life. Do we look like we’re living in a film to you?” asked the Doctor. 

“We’re in the middle of a rescue mission, on an alien planet, and you’re a shapeshifting Time Lord,” said Yasmin, raising her eyebrow. 

“Touché,” shrugged the Doctor.

Yasmin wasn’t just scared, she was terrified. For the first time since she came to this planet, she knew she was about to see the Doctor again. Some part of her thought she never would. She had considered, as she tried to sleep one night, if the Doctor before her would take herself and Graham under his wing. But she knew, as he did, that they would be changing the past too much. Besides, what would that mean for Ryan? She pushed the thought of Ryan down, finding it even more painful than her anxieties about her Doctor, and focused on what she was about to see. She had no idea what she was about to be faced with but, if Graham’s reaction was anything to go by, it wouldn’t be good. 

She swallowed her nerves, almost choking on them, when Batilde span around to glare at her. The ends of her robe danced around her feet as she did so, and Yasmin thought that if the self-proclaimed queen had been any less graceful, she would’ve tripped on the fabric. 

“Your muttering is distracting me,” huffed Batilde, “and the Quarters requires silence. The leaders don’t look favourably on talking prisoners, it’s too much freedom for their liking.” 

“So, she’s the nice one then?” whispered Yasmin in disbelief when Batilde turned back around. 

The Doctor shrugged, “What she lacks in dictatorship, she makes up for in crazy.” 

Batilde stiffened as if she had heard but carried on walking anyway. She marched just ahead of the two soldiers by her side, the two Solitudins struggling to keep up with her. The two that stood behind the Doctor, Graham and Yasmin urged them forward. 

“Time’s up,” the Doctor murmured to himself as they grew closer to the Quarters, which Yasmin could now picture in her mind. 

“What?” asked Yasmin, wondering nervously what the Doctor had seen, or what he was planning. 

“I’m sorry about this,” said the Doctor, whispering his apology to Yasmin. 

She looked at him in concern, “What have you done?” 

He gave her a look but didn’t respond to her question, instead he bellowed, “Yasmin! You can’t take out an army and a queen with a knife! Where did you even get that? What are you thinking?” 

Before Yasmin could question him, knowing that she didn't have any weapons, all of the soldiers sprinted towards her, shielding Batilde, and training their guns towards her. She tried to put her hands up in defence, struggling with the hand cuffs, and noticed that she now had another pair of handcuffs in her hand. The ones that had been around the Doctor’s wrists. When the soldiers backed up, guns still raised, Yasmin realised that the Doctor had vanished from behind them. She looked around, impressed. Canow pushed through the soldiers, telling them to stand down, and snatched the handcuffs from her hand. 

“He’s gone. How did he do that?” asked Canow, his eyes wide in disbelief. 

“Where is he?” screamed Batilde, storming towards Yasmin. Graham was still looking around in confusion himself, as if he had just had an encounter with Houdini. 

“I don’t know,” Yasmin answered honestly. 

“Canow,” seethed Batilde, “take your finest men and find him! As soon as you find him, send him to execution. I’ve had enough of these Earth games.” 

Canow nodded and disappeared around the corridor, half of the soldiers disappearing with him. The others focused on protecting Batilde, worried that the Doctor would make a reappearance. 

“How did he do that?” asked Graham, when Batilde had insisted that they keep on walking. 

Yasmin shrugged, “Who do you think our Doctor learned from? He’ll be fine, though, as long as he doesn’t get caught. He made it pretty clear that he doesn’t want to be in the same room as our Doctor.” 

“Now we’ve got two of them to worry about,” grumbled Graham. 

“You two,” interrupted Batilde, gesturing for the soldiers to surround them, “don’t even think about joining your friend. He’ll be dead before you even turn the corner, and I would make sure your death is even more painful than his.” 

The soldiers held onto Yasmin and Graham, their harsh grasp showing the humans that they didn’t stand a chance at escaping. Batilde marched them forward, even though they were mostly being dragged. Yasmin considered digging her heels into the dirt to slow them down, but the stern, dark expressions on each of the soldiers’ faces convinced her otherwise. The nervous expression on Graham’s face did the same, and she could tell he was silently willing for her to stay out of trouble. She smiled sadly. Even when neither of them could see a future away from the planet they were imprisoned on, he was still so desperate to look after her. 

Their journey to the Quarters was surreal for Yasmin, as it had been so deeply buried in her memory that she wasn’t sure what was meant to be real, and what she had imagined. The clinical, white walls had since disappeared, and now the walls were decorated with gilded wallpaper, lanterns hung from above, and arched windows. Yasmin squinted at the intense streams of sunlight that bounced around her and realised it had been a while since she’d seen it. She covered her eyes with the back of her hand to shield them, but made out the military-like surroundings, complete with barbed-wire and concrete, outside. She felt like she was an inmate in prison, and now she found it looked like it too. 

They noticed Batilde stopped walking when they slowed to a halt. Her heel tapped on the ground, drawing their attention. She turned around to face them. 

“Both of you,” said Batilde, “stay still, it's precaution. Leaders’ orders.” 

The humans exchanged a look as Batilde stalked up to them, parting the soldiers to one side. She grabbed onto the handcuffs that secured Yasmin, and then Graham’s, and twisted a dial on the cuffs themselves. The handcuffs shook and trembled, electricity spilling from the metal. Yasmin and Graham jumped in surprise. 

“What was that? Scare tactic?” asked Yasmin, feeling relieved as the jolt of electricity passed.

“No,” said Batilde with a bored tone, “but it’ll be scary if you try and escape again. Go on, ask me what happens if you leave the Circle.” 

Graham took the bait, “What happens?” 

“You won’t survive long enough to find out, but we’ll be smelling what’s left of your flesh from our thrones when everything that makes you human is liquified.” 

Graham made a face, “Why are you soldier types always such a barrel of laughs?” 

“I can make it happen sooner, old man, if you don’t be quiet. The leaders expect silence,” said Batilde, the first hint that they were getting closer to the Quarters. Yasmin’s heart lurched and she felt a flush of anxiety. 

Yasmin began to get a clearer image of where they were in her head. It was growing more familiar to her, and she had flashes of memories in her mind, seeing herself being marched towards the Quarters with her three friends so long ago. So much had changed. 

It was the image of the arch in front of her that brought everything flooding back, and she tried so hard not to show her fear. It was built into the walls and looked grand enough to be a feature of a castle with golden fixtures and elaborate carvings. Yasmin wondered how many people had passed through it, and never come back. She imaged the Doctor and Ryan were two of them. She shivered as they approached it, as if she could feel the ghosts of prisoners and criminals that haunted it. 

There was no door to the archway, and instead Yasmin squinted her eyes to see into the next room. It was a room that had grown so familiar to her; the white-gold marble floor, grand ceiling filled with paintings and the chandeliers that swung gently. Yasmin found it strange that such a beautiful place gave her so much anxiety as she was pushed into the room, nearly stumbling with the lack of balance that came with her bound wrists. 

“Behave,” instructed Batilde as she stepped in front of them, instructing the soldiers to form a guarded circle around Yasmin and Graham. 

“What are you doing to us?” asked Yasmin, noticing the excitement on Batilde’s face. She felt like she’d been missing something, and it scared her. 

“You’ll find out soon enough.” 

Graham looked at Yasmin, and his expression must’ve matched her own. They were both terrified, not just for themselves but also for each other. Neither of them wanted to die, but neither of them wanted to live without the other either. Not since they’d lost Ryan, had no idea if the Doctor was safe, and were inevitably about to be confronted by the other Doctor who didn’t know who they were.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Batilde. Which one has been causing the trouble for our soldiers?” came a husky, feminine voice.

“How rude of me to not introduce you,” said Batilde, looking up, "this is Yasmin and Graham, the Earthlings you've heard so much about." Yasmin followed her eyeline.

Yasmin hadn’t even noticed the others in the room. When she had been scanning the room for her Doctor, her eyes had refused to look for anything else. She almost flinched when she noticed the darkly dressed, veiled figures sitting above her. 

Three other Solitudins sat behind her, their seats raised onto a platform that resembled a grand stage, so they loomed over Yasmin and Graham. Tall-backed seats surrounded the stage as if it were a theatre, and Yasmin wondered why Solitudin conferences were more of a production than a discussion. Thinly veiled alien dictatorship, as the Doctor would’ve said. 

One of the leaders, her head shaved and long robe spilling down the sides of her throne, crossed her legs and stared down to Yasmin. The other two had their arms folded across their chests. They were dressed much more regally than Batilde, and Yasmin wondered if these were the leaders she should be fearing instead. Each of the three leaders seemed to have more scars than the other, red skin marred like they knew nothing that wasn’t war. To Yasmin, they looked like a council on judgement day. 

“Sardi,” purred Batilde, “the one you are referring to is the female.” 

Sardi waved her hand dismissively, “How am I supposed to know which one is the female? Earth humans are so unadvanced, they all look the same to me.” 

Yasmin huffed, but stayed quiet. 

“I do find,” added Sardi, “that the female of every species is the one built for rebellion. Only advancing species are able to manipulate that rebellion into something great. Humans do not have that privilege.” 

“Is this how it works?” asked Yasmin, unable to stay quiet with her bubbling anger, “you put half of us in prison and the other half have to fight?” 

“I suppose you mean our new pet? Asked Sardi, her eyebrow raised towards Yasmin. 

Yasmin sucked in a breath. She wasn't ready.

“So, ma’am, where is she?” asked Batilde, her eyes glittering.

The female leader gave a smirk, one that Yasmin could see even from the distance she was stood at. Her hand curled playfully around the arm of her throne as she fixed her gaze on Batilde. 

“She’s playing with the soldiers,” Sardi shrugged, “why don’t you fetch her?” Graham and Yasmin exchanged a glance. 

Batilde smirked, a sadistic expression forming slowly on her face. She looked to Yasmin, not taking her eyes off the woman. 

“Come,” came Batilde’s simple request, the words laced in amusement and callous. 

Yasmin looked to Graham, who gave her his best reassuring smile. It offered her no reassurance, however, and she couldn’t even begin to prepare for what she was about to see. 

Through the archway that led into the Quarters, echoed footsteps were brought to the attention of everyone in the room. The first thing Yasmin saw were heavy, leather boots, similar to the one’s the Doctor was wearing. She looked up, her breathing hitched and her eyes wide, as the familiar presence made her way towards Batilde, walking with the same haunting importance as the leaders. 

Yasmin’s hand would’ve flown to her face if she’d been able to move it. Instead, she just stood, frozen, as she took in the sight before her. The newly appeared woman stood stiffly with her chin up, shoulders back and chest out. She was standing at attention, her eyes focused solely on Batilde, not sparing anyone else in the room a glance. But Yasmin, on the other hand, couldn’t stop looking at her. 

Deep rings of burned skin marred her wrists, which were now free from the inhumane bounds that had tied them. Yasmin supposed she didn’t need to be a prisoner anymore. She felt physically sick and gagged at the sight of her Doctor. The Time Lord’s hair was dishevelled and strands of it were coated in dirt and blood. Yasmin didn’t know whose blood. Blood had crusted under her nose, too, stopping just above the bow of her lip. Her body was almost entirely hidden by the military uniform, but Yasmin could still see heavy bruising on her hands and face. Even for a Time Lord, the wounds couldn’t heal fast enough.

Yasmin had never seen her like this. She had never seen her wear anything that wasn’t colourful or thrifted, and never had she seen blood stain on her perfect face. She even noticed a small gun that hung from the Doctor's belt. They had given it to her, Yasmin thought, completely confident that they had destroyed enough of the Time Lord for her to not even think about using it. Her uniform may have been immaculate, but the body that wore it was broken. 

“Doctor,” breathed Yasmin, knowing that the Time Lord couldn’t respond to her. She hadn’t even spared her companion a glance. 

The Doctor’s arms remained crossed, and her eyes were trained onto the ground. She hadn’t moved since Yasmin had seen her, but she did notice the slight tremor in her body, as if she was trying subconsciously to get free. It gave Yasmin a glimmer of hope, until she realised it was probably just because of the pain she was in. 

Yasmin hadn’t believed the words that came out of Graham’s mouth, in truth she had ignored almost everything he said. Her memories supported them, but she was in denial. She found, however, that she couldn’t deny it any longer when she saw the empty look in her Doctor’s eyes, the lack of emotion at her friends’ appearance and the stiff, military walk. 

“She can’t hear you,” said Batilde smugly, “she’s been programmed to only hear my voice. It comes as naturally to her as if it were her own consciousness.” 

“That’s sick!” hissed Graham. The Doctor made no reaction to his outrage. 

“It’s necessary!” boomed Sardi, her voice echoing around the room so loudly it made the others flinch. 

Yasmin didn’t flinch, however, because her attention was on the Doctor. It was like she had woken up for the first time as her head eerily snapped up, causing Yasmin to step back further into the shadows that the leaders’ thrones cast around the room. There was something unfocused in the Doctor’s eyes, as if she were unable to see anything in front of her. Her eyes landed on Yasmin’s, and she was forced to look into the Doctor’s eyes. She knew they saw nothing and, for all Yasmin knew, she was just another figure haunting the Doctor. 

“Why did you bring us here?” whispered Yasmin, unable to take her eyes off the shell of her friend.

“Because,” she began, “we have come to a conclusion. You have to make a choice.” 

Yasmin’s face twisted in anticipated disgust, “Nice of you to offer a choice, doesn’t seem to be your thing here.” 

Sardi ignored her, “We might as well tell you our plan, considering how the rest of our kind are already celebrating Earth’s defeat. We will use the Time Lord’s ship to travel back in time to your planet’s most vulnerable state. So, your first option is to decide to submit and stand beside us, and we will march you through the bodies of Earth like a traitor.” 

Yasmin’s heart stopped, “What’s the second option?” 

Sardi shrugged, “We have the Time Lord murder you and the male human in such a brutal, heart-wrenching way that if she ever recovered from our brainwashing, as you call it, she would kill herself with guilt.”


	15. Winning Hearts and Minds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm so sorry about the late updates! Right in the middle of exams, but I promise I'll have time to finish it! Please keep reading and let me know what you think.

The room faded out of sight, bold colours of the ceiling and the light of the windows darkening with Yasmin’s own vision. She felt numb, that was all, as she stared blankly at the Doctor. To the Doctor, Yasmin wasn’t even a stranger, and the preposition of her death meant nothing to the Time Lord. Now, if she had a choice, she’d want Graham and Yasmin to fight beside her to destroy their own planet. Yasmin wondered if war really was in her blood, like she had been warned, and if it was what made this reality of the Doctor so terrifying. 

It wasn’t that the Doctor was just an empty shell, as Yasmin had thought. She’d expected blank eyes and paralysed movements, but it was like the Doctor recognised Yasmin and Graham but didn’t care. It was hard for Yasmin to accept that just the Doctor seeing her wouldn’t be enough to remind her of who she was. She remembered a throw-away comment from Ryan, one from a situation much less serious than this one, where he had said that if anyone could bring Yasmin back, it would be the Doctor. So why was it different when it was the other way round?

“You do not have long to make your decision, mind, as our plan is already coming to fruition,” said Sardi. 

The harshness of Sardi’s earlier words still rung painfully in Yasmin’s ears. She had hoped, at least, they would bring the Doctor’s attention to her companions, but she had been wrong. Now, she looked at the only person she had left, Graham, who’s own eyes were cast down to the ground. 

Yasmin took in a breath, “I have a compromise.”

Graham looked up at her in confusion. She was starting to think like the Doctor, like both of them, and it scared him. Sardi, on the other hand, seemed intrigued. She leaned forward so that Yasmin could see the smirk that flickered onto her face. 

Sardi shrugged, “I’ll humour you. Let me hear it.” 

“I’ll join you, and I’ll help you fight against Earth, but you have to let Graham go, and you have to let me talk alone with the Doctor.” 

“Hang on-” protested Graham, but Sardi silenced him with her hand and he brought his words to an abrupt end. 

“If you agree to come with us, we will not bring your friend along to the crusade. He would only slow us down anyway. And you are free to be alone with the Time Lord, but I will not guarantee she will not sense your Earth blood and tear you apart,” said Sardi. 

Yasmin, with an incredible amount of fake confidence, gave a nod of confirmation, ignoring Graham’s outcry beside her. She knew, ultimately, that he wouldn’t be safe in the Circle, but at least he wouldn’t have to die in a war thousands of years in their future. Maybe, Yasmin wondered with a panicked thought, her own relatives would see the armies approach their planet like a meteor. Maybe she would be responsible for their deaths. She realised she couldn’t worry about other people, not when she was the only one who could protect the little family she had left. 

“Don’t I get a say?” asked Graham, silently pleading with Yasmin. She knew what he was saying. He’d already lost one grandchild, he didn’t want to lose another. Her decision, in part, had been her own selfish need to not lose another friend, and she hoped Graham wouldn’t mistake her sacrifice for a betrayal. 

“She has made the decision for you. You can stay here with anyone who won’t fight. You’ll be alive, but I’ll let you decide how much better your fate actually is,” interjected Batilde. 

“She’s just a kid,” argued Graham, “you can’t do this.” 

“Your planet sends people to war much younger than her. Your children are trained to fight against each other before they even learn your language. By your own human definition, this ‘kid’ is old enough to fight her own battles,” argued Sardi. 

“We’re not from your present,” Graham sighed angrily, “It’s different now, Yaz wasn’t trained for wars!” 

Sardi gave him a dismissive wave, “It’s what you’re made for, regardless of training. Now, if you don’t shut up, then you’ll force me to retract my deal.” 

Yasmin glared, “Graham, enough.” 

“No, no, no,” said Graham, pacing in a circle as he ran a hand through his hair, “this isn’t right.”

“He’s right,” said Sardi, “nothing here has been right for many years. But your planet is responsible for that, not ours. Now, Batilde, why don’t you take Graham somewhere to…cool off. You can put the Doctor back in her room, too, we have a bargain to uphold. Can’t keep the pair of them waiting for their, uh, private reunion.” 

Graham dug his feet into the ground in protest, more worried about Yasmin than himself, as his eyebrows furrowed in worry. It didn’t take long for him to ease his stance when the armies, with their guns and daggers, turned to him. His only weapon was his body, and if his limbs felt as tired as hers than he didn’t stand a chance. 

“Where are you taking him?” demanded Yasmin, when the army surrounded Batilde and the Doctor, dragging Graham along behind them. He shrank next to the Doctor, who walked like she herself was leading the army. She didn’t even look at Graham, even when she prompted her attention by whispering her name. They disappeared back through the arch, walking further apart than Yasmin had ever seen them, leaving Yasmin alone with the remaining leaders. 

Sardi rolled her eyes, “I promise I’d keep him safe, and I will. We won’t make him work, but I won’t promise he’ll be comfortable either. You can earn both of you a place here, in the Circle, if we are victorious.” 

Yasmin cast her eyes to where he had disappeared, doubtfully, but knew there was nothing she could do. Instead, she held onto the promise that he would be okay, even if she wasn’t. 

“What happens to us if Earth wins?” asked Yasmin in a quiet voice, not yet ready to accept that she had brought on a third world war. Or maybe it was the fourth or fifth, she wouldn’t be surprised. 

Sardi tilted her head, “If Earth wins, which is almost impossible, then we’ll all be dead. We will burn the ship, then the Time Lord and then Graham. Earth would have killed you long before that. They won’t take any prisoners, especially not you. I don’t know how long it’s been since you stepped foot on Earth, but they treat their prisoners even worse than their enemies.” 

“Right, and you wouldn’t know anything about harsh treatment, would you?” said Yasmin bitterly. 

“You can go and see the Time Lord now,” said Sardi, gesturing for the two guards beside her to escort Yasmin to the room. 

“What did you do to her?” asked Yasmin, not yet able to face her damaged friend.

“What was necessary.” 

“You destroyed her. You made her a puppet. In whose eyes is that ‘necessary’?” growled Yasmin. 

“I can see that she means a lot to you,” said Sardi, although Yasmin knew the Solitudin didn’t understand her emotions at all, “but the universe has evolved beyond bonds. Everyone had to fight against Earth, and all that death did was destroy relationships. It’s your own fault for falling in love, because even you should know that love has no place in war.” 

“None of that’s true,” said Yasmin, straightening up. 

Sardi shrugged, “Just because you’re primitive, doesn’t mean we don’t have the same emotions. We’ve just learned how to use them to our advantage. Letting go of all that…human could save you.” 

Yasmin glared, “Was that your justification for what you did to the Doctor?” 

“Are you saying we saw the same emotion we see in you? I don’t know what made you think a Time Lord is even capable of love,” said Sardi, a gleam in her eyes. 

“I don’t love her,” growled Yasmin. 

“Remember that when you go and visit her. Speaking of, the tracker in your neck sends electronic pulses into our technology so you’ll be able to open the door. Before you get any ideas, remember what will happen to both you and Graham if you try anything,” Sardi paused, “Oh and Yasmin?” 

Yasmin paused, “Yes?” 

“Be careful. She bites.” 

Sardi found amusement in Yasmin's glare, delighting in the younger woman's irritation. She smiled at Yasmin and clicked her fingers. Two guards, like the ones who had taken the Doctor and Graham away, turned their attention to the leader and stood beside her, waiting to be ordered away by Sardi. When she waved her hand, the two guards began to walk towards the arch. They walked through it but when Yasmin began to walk the way they came, one of the guards put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She flinched, but his steel grip held her still. 

“Not that way,” he barked. 

The other one, who had been waiting for them, pressed a red hand against the wall, creating a doorway out of thin air. She had no idea how they didn’t get lost, with so many corridors and hidden passages, but she guessed that was part of their training. They knew where they were going, she was the vulnerable one. Yasmin’s jaw dropped open, still not used to the future technology, as she was marched through the new door. 

She was shocked by the privacy, realising it looked more like a hospital ward than a prison. It was crisp and white, a long rectangular corridor with only one door at the end of it. It was nothing like the cells from the outside, almost like they were trying to show off the Doctor, but Yasmin knew what was inside. It was a cell, and it held a prisoner. 

“Is this where you keep all of your weapons?” Yasmin asked bitterly. 

“Any asset to the war is kept somewhere different. Anyone from outside the circle would be hidden from it,” said one of the guards. 

“Why can you access them?” Yasmin asked curiously. 

“Guards have trackers, like yours. Specific electric pulses help us in battle, because they find the weapons for us. We act as maps of each weapon hidden in the Circle,” said the other guard.

“You probably shouldn’t tell me that,” mused Yasmin. 

The guard shrugged, “Doesn’t matter. The pulse wouldn’t work if I was dead or unconscious.” 

Yasmin felt a pang of guilt, “So you’re a prisoner too, huh?” 

The guard cleared his throat awkwardly and gave her a curt nod, “We’ll wait here. We will come and get you in fifteen minutes, you can stay longer but bear in mind we won’t hear you scream if you provoke the Time Lord.”

They stood to attention, hand resting on their weapon belts, as they pushed Yasmin forward. The corridor seemed longer than all of the other ones she had wandered through for days, like she was in a nightmare and would never reach the door at the end. Maybe she didn’t want to. The guards fell silent behind her, but she could feel their gaze on the back of her head. They were just as interested as she was to see how the Doctor would react to her alone. She assumed, though, that they wanted to see her get ripped apart.

She reached for the door. The electronic pad on the wall beside it glowed and she remembered what Sardi had said. She placed her hand up to it and it burned slightly when it scanned her. She struggled to not draw her hand away from it, but eventually it beeped and a hissing sound told her that the door had unsealed. 

Yasmin gulped. Her sweating hand pressed flat against the panel of the door in an attempt to stop it shaking. When she had managed to compose herself, and prevent any tears that were threatening to spill, she pushed against her hand and let the door creak open. Yasmin felt a pang of sadness when she realised this was the Doctor’s prison. The room was square, no windows, and about the size of a shed. The concrete floor and walls reminded her of her own cell, except the Doctor had been granted the luxury of a gas light on the wall and a bench. The Doctor was a prisoner and she didn’t even realise it. 

She saw the shadowy figure hunched over the bench, as if it were in pain. The body was so contorted that Yasmin questioned for a moment if it was even her. The sound of the door closing drew her attention, and her head turned very slowly until her eyes fixed on it. Yasmin didn’t even know if the Doctor had realised that anyone had walked through. 

“It’s me,” announced Yasmin, as if that would mean anything. 

She held her breath as the Doctor slowly untwisted her body and made it face Yasmin. Her eyes remained on the door, but now it looked as though the Doctor was forcing them to stay there instead of looking at her. They looked incredibly dark when Yasmin tried hard to get the Time Lord to focus on her, and Yasmin swore she saw a red reflection in them. It was similar to the glow in the healer’s eyes, and she gulped at the thought. 

Yasmin raised her hands in defence, trying to stop them shaking, as she had learned to in hostage situation training, “They let me come and talk to you. Alone. There’s no cameras or wires, I made sure of it. I know you’re afraid, but they aren’t here.” 

Yasmin’s own words made her wonder if the Doctor had ever actually been left alone since being taken prisoner here. 

She continued, “Graham’s fine, he’s a little shaken and bruised, but there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be fine too, after some sleep. Some Solitudins helped me fight off the infection. I miss them, you know, it’s hard to remember that there are any good ones left.” 

The Doctor seemed to collapse in on herself, hunching over further onto the bench. Yasmin stood beside it now, and she could feel the way the bench trembled with the Doctor. The pang of sadness Yasmin felt was almost unbearable. She could see the Doctor’s whole body resisting, even though the Time Lord herself had given up. Yasmin balled one hand into a fist, the nails that she had been unable to cut digging into her palm. She could feel the stinging sensation of hot tears forming in her eyes but she forced them down. If the leaders saw what their destruction had done to Yasmin, they might use it against her.

Yasmin reached out a trembling hand, wanting nothing more than to place it onto the tense shoulder of the Doctor. As her fingertips grazed the fabric that covered the Doctor’s shoulder, not yet placing any pressure down, the Doctor reached up and grabbed Yasmin’s wrist, twisting it back, without even looking at her. Yasmin protested in pain but the sound didn’t loosen the grip, if anything it tightened it.

“If you take even a step closer,” said the Doctor in a low, husky voice, “I’ll snap your neck.” 

“Doctor,” said Yasmin, the words strangled in her throat, “it’s Yasmin. Yaz. I’m not going to hurt you.” 

The Doctor’s eyes remained on the door, “What makes you think I’d extent the same courtesy to you?” 

Yasmin’s eyebrows furrowed but she answered softly, “Because we’re friends. Best friends. You don’t even let me go to work without checking up on me every few hours because you think desk duty is dangerous. Once I got a papercut and you wouldn’t let me come to Mars. I know you, and I know you would never hurt me.” 

“While you were out playing hero,” said the Doctor, her voice quiet and steady, “they were forcing me to fight armies. Every time I went easy on one of them, or refused to kill them, they’d put a cattle prod in my back and a knife in my hand. They’d wait until my opponent cried, and then they would grab my wrist and slit their throats. It wasn’t my fault, but the blood was still on my hands. I’m not telling you this for pity, I’m telling you this so you understand that someone like me doesn’t have friends.” 

“You do have friends! We’re your friends,” said Yasmin, though she couldn’t stop a tear from falling unsteadily down her cheek this time. 

“Are you my friends?” asked the Doctor in a voice barely louder than a whisper, “How can you be my friends when I killed one of you and left the rest of you here. I’m a monster.” 

Yasmin’s eyes widened in realisation, “You know who we are.” 

“Of course I know who you are,” said the Doctor, “you’re the reason I’m weak enough to be broken.” 

The door opened, revealing the two guards on the other side. The Doctor, who would normally have taken this opportunity to escape, kept her eyes fixed on the ground. She let her dirty blonde hair fall in front of her eyes so Yasmin couldn’t see her face. Yasmin tried to hide her own face, as she hadn’t been able to stop the onslaught of tears. She was surprised she could even cry, considering how numb she felt. 

“Do you two need any more time?” asked one of the guards, his eyebrow raised as he looked onto the scene in front of him. 

With one more glance at the Doctor, whose figure was blurred and contorted by tears, Yasmin shook her head. 

“No, I think we’re fine.” 

“Alright, then.” 

The guards exchanged a look but simply stepped aside to let Yasmin through. One held the door open with his foot, and Yasmin walked so numbly that she nearly tripped over the military boot. The room fell silent with only the sound of Yasmin’s tentative footsteps. Except as Yasmin prepared to walk away, she heard the faintest sound, like it had come from inside her head. 

“Don’t go.” 

But she did.


	16. The Ghost in the Sand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this definitely took longer to write than I thought it would. Honestly, this chapter was an absolute monster. But here it is and I hope you like it!

Graham waited for her back in the Quarters, a heavy silence falling between himself and the leaders in their thrones. Batilde was missing, Yasmin noticed, and the responsibility of their situation seemed to have fallen on Sardi. She stood up, the guards aiding her down, as she made her way towards Yasmin. Yasmin’s eyes had stung for days now, she blamed it on exhaustion and the heat, but just the haunting image of the Doctor filled with hate was enough for a tear to spill. Yasmin was surprised there was even anything left. She cleaned her face of tears before either Sardi or Graham had a chance to see them. Sari approached her, stopping at an intimate distance. Graham hesitated but didn’t follow, curiosity burning in his eyes. 

Sardi eyed her up and down, “Not a drop of blood spilled. Not even a scratch. Hate to say that I’m impressed. It’s not every day a visitor leaves that room unharmed.”

Yasmin’s face hardened, “I told you, she would never do that.” 

“Yeah, so you keep saying. But that hasn’t proved the truth for anyone else we’ve sent in there. One of the guards who first dealt with you, in fact, looks so grave now that I was forced to dismiss him. I do hate looking at broken limbs. They’re a reminder of how fragile some people are.” 

“It’s your fault she did that. She would never do anything like that without you! You don’t know her like I do,” said Yasmin. 

“Everyone feels sorry for the beast behind the bars, and even the feeder wonders what it would be like to see the creature freed. That’s until the beast seeks its revenge, and you realise why it was in a cage in the first place,” said Sardi. 

Yasmin’s expression changed, twisting in a way familiar to any teenager, “Are you trying to say she’s gonna ‘bite the hand that feeds her’? I’d hardly call you lot zoo keepers, she’d be better off in one though!” 

“Consider this as more of a circus,” sneered Sardi, “she is here for her tricks and nothing more. We have no need to preserve the species. As soon as Earth is dead, we don’t have any more use for her. She’ll be an ornament; a medal hanging in a war museum.” 

“You do like your metaphors,” sighed Graham, speaking up for the first time since Yasmin had left to talk to the Doctor. 

Sardi swiftly ignored him as she addressed the guards, “Go and find Batilde. She should be ready by now.”

“Ready for what?” Asked Graham. 

Sardi rolled her eyes like she was growing tired of explaining herself to them, “Do you think we planned to wait around much longer? We have everything we need from you, it’s time for action. We won’t wait around and let Earth make plans of their own. We will begin the search for the ship when the suns fall, prisoners first, then Batilde will take the troops.” 

Yasmin found a strange memory in her mind of the Doctor, not her own, mumbling facts about the planet in his half-asleep state. He would never allow himself to sleep while she was awake. He’d said once, his voice faraway and dreamy, that Solitudins would always take prisoners first, whether it be to death or to fight, because they believed the suns were harsher on the first people to walk the deserts. They were lucky, she supposed, to have transport now so she didn’t have to walk barefoot in the sand, nothing protecting her from harsh suns that she’d been a victim to once before. But she remembered the Doctor saying that the soldiers always arrived separately so they were untainted by the prisoners. 

Normally, Yasmin would object to a tradition that seemed like it belonged on Earth in her own past, but at least it gave Yasmin a chance to talk to the Doctor again. They would be left alone, locked in the hot military car, and it could be Yasmin’s only chance to fix the Doctor. Maybe all Yasmin needed was time, which was arguably the thing she had the least of, to remind the Doctor of who she was. 

She drifted back to the present, letting the Doctor escape from her mind, as Graham’s protests were drowned out by Batilde’s arrival as she greeted Sardi. The two warrior women shared a look, both knowing their plan was coming to fruition. It was the face of a predator, mirrored on both of their blush-red faces. 

“Wait,” said Yasmin quietly as she interrupted them, “you said ‘search for the ship’. But the TARDIS is in your training site, isn’t it?” 

The pace of Yasmin’s heart quickened. Had they found the second? If one meant the destruction of Earth, what could two do to it? And, potentially even worse, what did that mean for the Doctor who had managed his escape. Yasmin knew she couldn’t save both of them when she could barely save herself. 

“The ship,” explained Batilde, “was discovered to be more conscious as our scientists conducted their research. Once it realised it was our soldiers trying to use the human boy’s key, and not him, it shut down and disappeared. The Time Lord managed to track it down, though.”

“She,” Yasmin mumbled, feeling a pang of loss for the ship. She hadn’t realised how much she missed her. 

“It’s machinery,” scoffed Batilde. 

“To you, maybe,” added Graham. 

“No,” said Sardi, “to us it’s a prophecy. Earth have attacked us on our own planet like we weren’t once one of them, they showed no mercy to our children or our innocent. This planet was just another for them to reclaim; to send their pollution and their criminals. But now, we have Earth’s protector and their shields are down. We can travel through time in a matter of seconds; before Earth’s leaders could even see us coming.” 

“Was the Doctor not enough for you?” seethed Graham. 

“The Doctor was only the start.” 

Sardi was right. The Solitudins had destroyed the Doctor; making her just like them until the Time Lord forgot everything that made her different from them. The aliens had torn them all apart, and for nothing. For revenge, or pride, or simple bloodthirst. Yasmin had learned about wars in her own time, but they didn’t have the power to destroy whole worlds then. Yasmin shivered as she wondered what weapons they had developed, knowing it wouldn’t be what she expected to see. What if they were nuclear? How many lives would they cost? Now, she would never see Ryan again, or Graham, or her own family in fact. Even the Doctor had been taken from her. 

“Is everything in place?” Sardi asked Batilde. 

Batilde nodded, “Canow and I will handle the troops and the prisoners. Make sure the weapons get transported and our civilians give up any communications outside of our planet. Raise the flags for our return.” 

“You’ll be rewarded for your victory. Kings and queens of every planet touched by Earth will be here to thank you,” promised Sardi. 

Batilde, the self-proclaimed warrior queen, tried to hide her smile. Yasmin glanced at her in disgust. How could murdering billions of people and destroying a whole civilisation make someone feel so proud?

“It’s dark enough now, and Canow has the Time Lord waiting. Guards, prepare the human,” said Sardi. 

Yasmin watched with narrowed eyes as one of the guardsmen sprang into action and made his way towards her. Her eyes scanned for weapons, but she couldn’t see any so she relaxed somewhat. The guard placed hand-cuffs on Yasmin’s wrists, which were already raw and swollen. She was just glad they weren’t the electric ones this time. For once she envied Graham, who stood in line with the leaders with free hands and skin unbruised. Then she remembered that he had to watch two of his found family, the only two left, leave him for good. 

“Can I at least say goodbye?” asked Yasmin, bitterly. 

Batilde and Sardi exchanged a look but gave each other a swift nod. Yasmin dove forward to Graham who wrapped his arms around her gently. Yasmin consciously noticed the smell of blood and sweat that clung to her body and clothes. It made her turn up her nose. He pulled away from the hug slowly. 

“Graham,” said Yasmin hurriedly, “you need to listen to me.” 

He looked at her with furrowed eyebrows.

“There’s another Doctor, and another TARDIS. That means you can still get out of here. Find him. It won’t be the same, obviously, but at least you’ll be away from here. And…and you can’t change the past, remember that, you can’t go back and fix things. You remember what happened in India. But you can be safe, and that’s what matters,” said Yasmin in a hushed voice. 

“If I find the other Doctor,” said Graham sternly, “then we are coming to get you. I’m not going to leave you behind.” 

Yasmin smiled sadly, “What if you don’t like what you find?” 

“That’s more than enough time,” interrupted Sardi, gesturing for the guards to separate them.

One guard held Yasmin by the arm, one that send a shockwave of pain radiating through her body. Her shoulder hadn’t healed, if anything it had gotten worse, but claws digging into the still-fresh wound and the burning sensation of pressure being applied only drew a sharp inhale from her. Instead, her focus was on Graham and the pain was just white noise in the background. She paused for a moment to wonder how not even a month on an alien planet had aged her so much. 

“I love ya, kid,” said Graham when she had been spun around and walked over to Batilde, who she imagined was the one who would go with her. A lump in Yasmin’s throat meant she couldn’t respond. 

“Canow is waiting outside with the Doctor. Only one who can withstand the broken fingers, it seems. Besides, the Time Lord is quite an unpleasant sight for those who live and work here.” said Sardi. 

The guard lead the way from the quarters, Batilde following directly behind, and Yasmin realised she was expected to follow. Yasmin wasn’t prepared for the maze of white walls and faraway echoes that had been driving her insane for weeks. Graham was left with Sardi, and Yasmin wondered if he would be worse off than she thought. They had lied before, hadn’t they? 

“Hurry,” said Batilde from in front of Yasmin, “moonlight doesn’t last as long as it does on Earth.”

“How do you even get out of the quarters, let alone the Circle. I thought it was just a creepy government site. But you have people living here, don’t you? Is it like a city? Why are people in here when the outside is fighting for survival? There’s something else going on, something you don’t want them to find out,” asked Yasmin, gesturing to the outer planet. 

“That’s not something you have to worry about,” said Batilde, reaching into the belt that wrapped around her waist. A hot flush of anxiety rushed over Yasmin. 

“What are you doing?” 

Batilde opened a draw-string bag, the sort that was meant to fit a ring or a pair of earrings and withdrew something small and blue from the contents. Yasmin gulped. 

“It’s nothing dangerous, you’ll be glad to know. You’ve proven that your biology isn’t different enough for you to be affected badly by Solitudin medicine. It’s an anaesthetic of a kind; made to keep a patient completely unaware of their surroundings. Good for medical anxiety, stress or whatever else your planet plagued our people with. There are secrets here I cannot allow you to uncover, even if you won’t live long enough to tell them,” said Batilde. 

“No, no Batilde please don’t.” 

“Hush,” said Batilde, placing the oval-shaped pill in between her thumb and index finger. The guard who had once been leading the way now stepped behind Yasmin. She hadn’t noticed until she felt his presence behind her and saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye. 

She gasped when he reached a hand over her face, reaching for her nose. Claws scratched her cheek as he pinched her nose, preventing her from breathing. Her mouth closed almost instinctively, but her lungs immediately struggled with the lack of air. She didn’t have the energy to keep it up for long. Her tightly closed mouth couldn’t stay that way for long, and she was struggling to free herself from his hold without the threat of a broken nose. Instead, her mouth opened to breath and Batilde put the pill on her tongue. It was tasteless but Yasmin’s eyes still widened with shock as Batilde covered her mouth, forcing her to swallow. 

“See, that wasn’t so hard was it? Now, everything will feel a little bit blurry for a while. Don’t worry, though, you’ll have your senses back before we reach the ship.” Batilde instructed the guard to let Yasmin go as he walked ahead of them both. Then Batilde pushed Yasmin ahead of her so she could make sure the human was still following.

Yasmin’s eyes fixed on the militant boots in front of her as they took heavy steps and left prints in the ground. One foot left the ground, then the other, like she was doing a soldier march. Yasmin’s own steps were much slower as her legs, more so than everything else, objected to moving again. Her mind flashed back to the relief she felt when she’d been able to collapse onto the floor of the TARDIS and had to will her legs to stay upright as the risk of unconsciousness spiked as her vision swam. Focus on the boots in front of you, she thought, one after the other, she thought to herself. 

She noticed the drug had taken effect when she found her shoulder pressing into a wall, knowing she must’ve fallen into it. A light push from Batilde set her back onto whatever path they were following. Yasmin tripped over her own feet and laughed blissfully as she wondered if this was what it was like to be Ryan. The grief washed right over her head as it lulled. 

The next time Yasmin was brought out of her feverish dream, she found she was outside. The cold of the outside combatted the overwhelming heat from the drug that invaded her body. She was relieved when she didn’t have to look into the sun as she was brought outside. Something about the moon was softer and more calming than the harsh light of multiple suns, and it felt more like home. It was easier on her eyes, though the heavy moonlight still illuminated her terrifying surroundings, and the veil of blackness hid the true extent of the planet around her. 

She felt a light smack on the cheek, like someone was trying to wake her up and she groaned, pulling away. 

“Move it,” she heard as her hearing came back into focus and the dull but piercing ring in her ears stopped. She looked up and her eyes landed on a blurred, unfamiliar figure. It was too tall to be Batilde, and too graceful to be a guard. 

“Who is it?” slurred Yasmin, her voice sounding barely even audible to herself.

She blinked rapidly to clear her vision when no one responded. Yasmin was surprised to find she was even still standing, let alone unaided, in the middle of training grounds. There were emerald and navy wildflowers under her feet, ones Yasmin had never seen outside of fantasy films. The surroundings looked almost luscious, as Yasmin saw the twisted acacia trees that lined the road ahead. She was standing on the road, she noticed next, not sand or concrete as she had grown used to. And the person she was being taunted by revealed themselves to be Canow. 

“You aren’t looking too good,” he said. 

“Why are you here?” mumbled Yasmin.

“To make sure all of the cargo gets delivered. That’s why I need you in the van, now,” said Canow. 

Yasmin saw the deep green van behind her, with blacked out windows, sleek tires and no licence plate. The backdoors were open, as if waiting for her to climb into them. But Yasmin couldn’t even feel her legs, let alone move them. 

“Doctor,” sighed Yasmin, “where is she?” 

“Good idea,” said Batilde, “Time Lord, get into the van, would you? She’ll follow, undoubtedly.” 

Yasmin looked up, following the hollow sound of Batilde’s voice, and found the Doctor standing beside the soldiers who must’ve come with Canow. Her blonde hair blew gently in the wind, and the moon lit up her bruised, pale face. Her face was like stone as it stared ahead. To Yasmin, with the world still tumbling around her, the Doctor looked carved out of marble. Like a statue of the woman built to honour the victory that would ultimately lead to all of their deaths. Yasmin watched as the Doctor moved forward at Batilde’s order, but Yasmin managed a very unstable step back. 

“Doctor,” pleaded Yasmin, words barely forming as she struggled to breathe, “you can stop this. Please!” 

But the Doctor ignored her, stepping up into the back of the van with her unsteady legs. There were no seats in the back of the militant van, so the Doctor just held on to the metal pole attached to the roof, staring as Yasmin resisted against the soldiers and refused to get into the back. Canow instructed for the soldiers to step back. 

Canow’s hands pressed against Yasmin’s collarbones, flat and violent, as he shoved her against the side of the van. The force he placed against her took her breath away and she leaned her head back, winded. 

“Just because your tracker won’t kill you anymore, doesn’t mean I won’t,” he growled his warning. 

“You don’t have to do this,” she tried, one last time. 

Canow had no sympathy as he grabbed her by the back of the long, camouflaged coat she was now wearing. She pouted, wondering where the Doctor’s coat had gone as Canow dragged her around to the backdoor of the van. Her legs, scraped and bruised as she was tossed around, finally decided to comply as they lifted her into the van. She undid her handcuffs and she rubbed at her wrists. Satisfied, Canow slammed the door of the van until it locked. 

The van definitely resembled one from Earth, one that Yasmin’s colleagues had driven around with criminals in the back. The large window on the backdoors had metal bars across them instead of glass, and despite the cliché of it all Yasmin found herself holding a bar in each hand, her face pressed against the one in the middle. She’d been a passenger in one of these situations when she had been training; listening to the criminal in their desperate grasp for freedom. At least, on Earth, the criminals were only taken to the police station. She was being taken to war. 

Yasmin’s eyes unfocused and she found she wasn’t able to focus them in again. Instead, her legs felt like liquid as they forced her down. She leaned her back against the wall of the van, listening to the distorted voices outside, and she slid down. Nausea grew so violent that Yasmin wasn’t even sure if she would be able to keep it down. She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to pretend like she was anywhere else. She’d almost forgotten that the Doctor had been trapped with her until she heard the van rumble into action once Batilde and the guard had climbed into the front and the Doctor stumbled. Her hand grabbed the metal pole tightly, but the frown remained firmly on her face. 

“This is your fault,” said Yasmin, her head resting on her knees. 

To Yasmin’s surprise, the Doctor responded, even though she didn’t turn to look at her companion, “I told you not to come back.” 

“Like I wasn’t going to come back for you,” slurred Yasmin. 

“You weren’t supposed to remember there was anything to come back for,” commented the Doctor. 

Yasmin contemplated pushing the Doctor further, deciding now was her chance to get answers, “If you hate me so much, why would you want to protect me?” 

“That was before everything they did to me. Everything you did to me,” said the Doctor, staring out through the barred windows as the Circle grew smaller behind them, being replaced by the desert. 

“I didn’t do anything, Doctor, they did this to you. They want you to hate Earth, because if you, defender of humans, can’t forgive us for what we’ve done then…we deserve to be wiped out. They know once they’ve stopped you, they’ve already won,” said Yasmin, letting out ragged breaths as her body was unable to catch up with her. 

“My planet was destroyed because of its need for war,” the Doctor said bitterly, “maybe it’s time for yours to do the same.” 

Yasmin, struggling now against her nausea, was only able to form a small plea, “Have mercy on us, Doctor.” 

For the first time since they’d reunited, the Doctor turned to look at Yasmin. It was almost unsettling for her, to be acknowledged for the first time. Yasmin made sure to keep eye contact with her, to show her that she meant it. But, strangely, Yasmin found that she saw emotion in the Doctor’s eyes for the first time. 

“What did you just say?” she asked. 

Yasmin gulped, “Mercy.” 

The emotion in the Doctor’s eyes looked familiar, she realised. It was the exact same look as when she had brought up the Doctor’s past to the younger regeneration. She spoke a name, Clara, and the Doctor had looked like he had seen a ghost. The Doctor, her Doctor, looked exactly the same now. 

The Doctor looked as though she was going to say something, but for the first time she hesitated. It was a small part of the person Yasmin loved coming to the surface, but she refused to allow herself any hope. Whatever she said had triggered something, and Yasmin knew she would have to work harder to bring her Doctor back before they reach the TARDIS. But, now, she couldn’t do anything. She tried hard to carry on the conversation, but her lips tingled and she struggled to form any words. 

To add to her frustration, the sight of the Doctor watching her curiously dimmed as black clouded the corners of her vision. The drug was still stirring around in her system and was working against whatever progress she had made with the Doctor. There was a ringing in her ears and her head fell back, being jostled around against the vibrations of a moving van.

When she next opened her eyes, she noticed the Doctor was no longer looking at her. Instead, her focus was solely on the view outside of the van. Yasmin tried to stand up, but she couldn’t as the stiffness in her body made it feel as though she was still asleep. She did manage to roll her head to one side though, with just enough strength to strain to find out what the Doctor had seen. When she looked back, she realised the Doctor was talking to her. 

Yasmin blinked. 

“Did you hear what I said?” came the Doctor’s muffled voice. 

Yasmin shook her head. As the Doctor’s voice came back she could hear loud, demanding voices coming from the front of the van. She knew they were Batilde and Canow. 

“What’s going on?” rasped Yasmin. 

“We’re being followed,” the Doctor answered, not taking her eyes off the window. 

That was when Yasmin noticed the unnatural light coming from outside the van. It was too bright and artificial to be from the moon. Whatever was following them, they had come prepared. She could hear voices from the back now, too, and desperately wanted to see what was happening. 

“By what?” she asked, judging by the Doctor’s expression that she was seeing more than she was letting on. Seeing the Doctor, who Yasmin had almost forgotten wasn’t a robot, acting unsettled scared her. Yasmin couldn’t tell whose side the Doctor was even on and didn’t trust her to judge if they were in trouble or not. Not that she trusted herself either. 

She waited for the Doctor’s response. The woman had gotten even closer to the backdoors since Yasmin had refocused but her expression hadn’t changed. It seemed like an eternity before she even thought about responding. 

“Ryan…by Ryan.” 

Yasmin choked on air. 

She dragged herself up by clawing at the wall, ignoring the pain it brought to her nails. Even the Doctor seemed alarmed at the movement. Yasmin couldn’t feel her legs, but she grasped onto the metal bars with the strength of someone who hadn’t been barely surviving on an alien planet. After several difficult breaths she was able to put all her weight on the bars and stare out of the window. 

The Doctor had been right. Even through blurry vision, Yasmin could see that. A group of twenty, maybe even more, had been waiting for the van to come into the desert. Each Solitudin wielded a torch, and some sort of home-made weapon. They lit up the darkness and left bright spots in Yasmin’s vision when she looked away. Their focus was on Batilde and Canow, it seemed. They didn’t want to hurt the prisoners. Yasmin guessed they must be from the outside or the village. What she was more interested in, however, was the person in front. His sturdy, determined face was lit up by the moon and the stars danced in his faraway eyes. A torch, one he had brought with him on the TARDIS, shot beams of light into the sand ahead. Yasmin pressed her face against the bars. She had been waiting for the Doctor to save her, one of them anyway, but she never considered that Ryan Sinclair was alive, and leading a rebellion against the Circle.


	17. Best Laid Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! A few things:
> 
> I hope this chapter will do until I come back, as I'm going away for 2 weeks. But I'll try and have another one up as soon as I'm home. 
> 
> Also, I realised that this is going to be much longer than I first thought. My plan is 20 chapters, but I have a feeling I might need more than that to get everything I want in. So I hope you guys keep sticking by me! 
> 
> Again, I hope you like it and want to keep reading! Finally things get a little bit lighter (calm before the storm) because I missed the humour and got way too excited about the new dynamics. Anyway, enjoy!

Yasmin couldn’t believe her eyes. For a moment, even, she wondered if the drug she had been given was hallucinogenic and had forced her mind to conjure up an image that would soothe her. She would’ve kept thinking that, probably, if she couldn’t see the slight open mouth and wide eyes of the Doctor in the torchlight. She came to the conclusion that she wasn’t seeing things at all, and one of her best friends had returned from the dead. 

She wavered slightly in the bright lights, angry shouting and the screech of tires as the van sped up. Was Ryan going to get himself killed? Twice? Yasmin wanted to warn him away, but she couldn’t ignore how interested the Doctor was in him. The Doctor thought she had killed him, Yasmin remembered, and still felt the ache of guilt even with her cool military exterior. It must be a weight lifted from both of them to see him. 

Suddenly, the shouts grew louder and Yasmin realised the van was slowing down. She saw a billow of smoke rise up from underneath and wondered if they had a plan after all. It wasn’t until a loud warning came to herself and the Doctor from the rebellion that she realised they wanted to crash the van. 

“I think they’re taking the tires out, one by one,” said Yasmin, her voice almost drowned out by the chaos outside. 

The Doctor pursed her lips, giving a slight indication that she agreed, but refused to take any of her attention away from Ryan. 

“Get down!” came a strangled, booming shout from Ryan who was now caught up in the smoke of the van. 

Yasmin realised that he meant them so she allowed herself to let go of the metal bars and slide onto the floor. She braced her back against the wall, feeling light headed from the movement. It took a second shout for the Doctor to do the same, but she fell down beside Yasmin eventually, both of them now blind to whatever was going on outside. Yasmin curled up in a ball, struggling to hear the voices properly. 

The only thing Yasmin could hear was the growing panic from Batilde and Canow as something went whistling through the air and found its place in the third tire of the van. Whatever had been propelling it forward was now unable to and the van let out a blood curdling screech as it swerved. Yasmin was slammed backwards into the wall and let out a gasp as the van skidded to a halt. 

“Go to the front!” Yasmin heard Ryan call, and a swarm of footsteps ran at full speed towards Batilde and Canow. Yasmin couldn’t hear the two Circle members running, in fact, it fell silent on their end. Yasmin didn’t hear a shout, or cry or even a whisper. 

Yasmin and the Doctor both watched the backdoor intently as the light of the torches grew brighter. The rebellion was surrounding the van now, she noticed, but something was going on at the front. Yasmin just hoped they could hold their own against Canow and Batilde. 

“Hey, guys,” came a soft voice from through the window of the van, “hang in there okay?” 

“R-Ryan?” asked Yasmin, her voice sounding heavy even to herself. She heard a grunt of effort from Ryan. 

“We…we just need to get this lock off. Shouldn’t be too hard. Is…Graham with you?” Ryan asked hesitantly, as if he had been trying not to ask. 

“He’s back at the Circle…he’s safe,” said Yasmin, hearing a faint sigh of relief. 

Ryan called someone over and the sound of voices vanished under the sound of metal colliding with metal. Yasmin assumed they were trying to break it with a gun, or knife, and supposed they were lucky the van came from Earth technology. The lock should be simple enough to break, unlike everything in the Circle. Eventually, a loud clank sounded and echoed through the van. They heard an excited exclamation from Ryan as he instructed those outside to step back. 

Yasmin shielded her eyes as the backdoors of the van were thrown open and hesitant beams of light interrupted the darkness of inside. Eventually, the torches were put down and someone climbed in. 

“Ryan,” breathed Yasmin as he crawled forward and threw his arms around her. He could feel her trembling, she was sure, but she didn’t care. Even the throb in her shoulder felt like nothing as she embraced him. 

He looked unharmed, aside from a bruise on his cheek and another on his arm. He was wearing dirtied dark jeans and a light t-shirt, one that had been ripped and torn. Yasmin was relieved to find his skin wasn’t burned like hers had been. He must’ve learned quickly to travel at night. Though he looked fine physically, Yasmin felt a pang of sadness as she realised how long he had been alone for. 

“No offence, Yaz, but you look terrible,” he said gently, noticing every scratch, bruise and blood-stain. His eyes fell on the enlarged pupils of her eyes and he frowned when she gave him a weak smile. 

“Can you walk?” he asked, holding her arms as she tried to stand up. 

Her legs felt even worse than before, like they had given up entirely. With Ryan’s help she made it upright, but as soon as she stepped out of the van and her feet landed in the sand, her legs collapsed and she gripped tightly onto Ryan. Two Solitudins who had been standing beside Ryan rushed forward and offered Yasmin help after his nod of reassurance. They held onto her until her legs got the strength to stand on their own. With her arm around their shoulders, she watched as Ryan made contact with the Doctor. 

“They told me what the Circle did to her,” Ryan said simply as he noticed Yasmin’s concern. 

Yasmin held her breath as he climbed back into the van where the Doctor was sat, her dark eyes scanning every corner of the rebellion before they fell on Ryan. He reached out a hand to her, and then her eyes fell on that. He coaxed her forward like he was dealing with a vulnerable animal, but she shrugged him off and climbed wearily out of the van herself. Yasmin could see the sadness in his expression as it mirrored her own. 

“Keep an eye on her,” Yasmin said to the Solitudins who held her before pulling herself away from them and lurching towards the front of the van. 

“Hey, hey, what are you doing?” asked Ryan as he jogged to catch up with her. 

“Need to check,” was her only response. 

“No, no Yaz, please don’t look,” said Ryan as he cringed. But Yasmin ignored him. She approached the open door of the van, peering in past the steering wheel, and gasped. 

Sitting in the passenger seat with her head lulled to the side, Yasmin saw Batilde. In all her former glory, she now lay silent with her elegant military uniform now torn. Her badges of honour and medals of war dripped sluggishly with her own blood. Yasmin’s eyes widened. 

Yasmin wondered if she was just unconscious, maybe the impact of the crash was felt more severely from the front, but she just had to look at the blood-shot eyes and the drip of darkness on her lips to know she was dead. Death looked different on Solitudins, as their faces didn’t go bluish or pale, but Yasmin could read it in the dull skin and white lips.

It was a different kind of dead than what she’d seen before. She hadn’t known there would be so many ways death could be read on someone’s face. Yasmin had seen people die on Earth, and in her travels, but they had looked peaceful. It just was like some sort of sleep, as if those who did good had an amity with death. Batilde was different, though. She looked unsettled, even as she drifted to wherever. Yasmin couldn’t tear her eyes from the image of the warrior queen, brought down by the people she had neglected. 

“Leave her,” said Ryan gently, though she could tell he was struggling just as much with the sight as she was. 

“Where’s Canow?” she whispered. 

Ryan frowned, “Who’s that? We only saw you and the Doctor.” 

Yasmin shook her head, “No, he’s one of them. He was up there with her.” 

“We didn’t see anyone else, he must’ve gotten away,” answered Ryan. Yasmin realised he had no idea how dangerous it was to let one of them go. He didn’t know what they were up against like she did. 

“The-the second van will come this way soon. We need to hide,” said Yasmin, knowing that the chance of them being able to fight off the troops would be slim. 

“We’ll get off the path and they won’t be able to find us, don’t worry,” said Ryan. 

“What about our trackers? Me and the Doctor both still have them,” asked Yasmin. 

Ryan tutted, “You act like we haven’t thought this through. I found a secret weapon, and you’re definitely not going to believe who he is.”

That appeared to be the signal as Ryan grinned and turned towards the crowd of Solitudins. Yasmin couldn’t help but wonder how he still had a smile on his face. Maybe he hadn’t seen as much as she had. Maybe his death, even a fake one, was a blessing. Yasmin shook her head, trying not to think about it, as the wave of Solitudins rippled to reveal someone in the middle of them. 

The first thing Yasmin saw was black boots, caked in dirt and sand. Then, a large coat that hung over the figure’s arm and rustled gently in the wind. Then she saw his face. He looked like he belonged in a movie, Yasmin pondered, as his sharp eyes took in the moonlight and his stern, aged face was lit up by torches around him. She was surprised when his face twisted into a smile, which triggered her own to do the same. 

“I think you forgot this,” said the man in his thick accent as he pulled a sonic screwdriver from the pocket before tossing the jacket towards her. Yasmin caught it unsteadily but dropped in onto the ground in favour of a hug. She ran towards him, her breath caught in her throat, as she pulled him closer. 

She hadn’t gotten this close to him before, Yasmin noticed, without him pushing her away or shielding them with an insult. But this time, she could feel him embracing her, like he wanted to make up for not being able to protect her before. 

“Careful, you’re walking like a drunk toddler,” the man huffed, but wrapped his arms around her anyway. 

Yasmin looked up at him, not even able to conjure up a glare, “Yeah that’s been happening a lot on this planet. I missed you.” 

He coughed awkwardly, “Yeah, well, I missed you too. For the record, you’re the one who keeps getting drugged so I think there’s something wrong with you, not the planet.” 

“I knew you’d come back, Doctor,” grinned Yasmin, ignoring his remark as she felt, even for a minute, safe. 

“Obviously,” he grumbled, a hand in her hair. 

“Woah, woah, wait,” interrupted Ryan, his face contorted in confusion, “you two know each other? What the hell? Why didn’t you tell me?” 

The Doctor shrugged, “Thought it would be more fun to let you figure it out.”

Ryan rolled his eyes, “Yeah, hilarious. You completely ruined my surprise, I couldn’t wait to see the look on Yaz’s face when we told her you can change your face when you die.” 

The Doctor patted him on the shoulder as he agreed, “It was very funny.” 

“Is that where you went then?” asked Yasmin, “To find Ryan? But…but we thought he was dead.” 

“My plan,” said the Doctor, “was actually to steal your Doctor’s TARDIS and fly it in to save you. I didn’t take in to account the fact that she’d move herself, the stupid machine. So, I went to look for her and found this one instead. He’d gotten very cosy with the locals and convinced them to start an uprising. And you said you were the clever one, Yaz.” 

Yasmin crossed her arms while Ryan nudged her smugly. 

That had been the first time anyone had mentioned the Doctor’s name in a while, though. It reminded Yasmin that there was two of them now, and one of them had gotten frighteningly quiet. Yasmin turned to see the Doctor-her Doctor, staring at the coat Yasmin had been wearing for days. She must’ve recognised it, thought Yasmin. She had noticed her Doctor looking at her former self in short glances, with an almost feral look in her eyes. Yasmin remembered how the Doctor didn’t want them to meet and supposed they would find out why. The others noticed that Yasmin’s attention was no longer on them and turned to look at the Doctor too. The smile was wiped from the other Doctor’s face immediately. 

His eyes went dark, “I suggest you restrain her.” 

Ryan and Yasmin exchanged a look as she spoke, “Excuse me?” 

“She isn’t herself yet. Can’t you see that?” answered the Doctor. 

Yasmin looked across to the Doctor, her Doctor and couldn’t argue when she saw the darkness that still clouded her eyes. 

“What do we do, then?” asked Ryan. 

“She knew me being here, and her remembering it would create a paradox. We were always going to meet here, it became a fixed point. Your Doctor knew, even if you lot were able to break down barriers in her mind, she would need me to bring her back. We’re tethered together, equal parts of the same person, and if you want her back then we’ve got some work to do,” explained the Doctor. 

Ryan frowned, “I’m getting confused and this whole ‘seeing double’ thing isn’t helping. Can we give you a nickname or something?” 

The Doctor frowned, “Why should I get the nickname? I came first.” 

Before Ryan could argue further, Yasmin spoke up, “Fine, you can both have nicknames. She’s number Thirteen, and you’re Twelve, right? Those will do.” 

“Well, technically. She’s definitely unlucky number thirteen, I’ll give you that,” grumbled Twelve, but he didn’t complain any further about the given nickname. 

“Carry on, then,” prompted Yasmin. 

Twelve put his hands up in defence, “Yeah, alright. You’ve been calling her situation ‘brainwashing’ correct? You know that really doesn’t exist much outside of your human films? But anyway, I did some research and what they’ve really done is amplified anything negative they could find on the surface of her mind, such as Ryan’s death. Unfortunately for us, the Time War is also always on the surface too. So, for the past days, weeks, all the Doctor-Thirteen, has been able to think about is war and her own guilt. Must’ve driven her insane.” 

Yasmin’s frown deepened, “There’s a barrier in her head like mine? Except instead of pushing everything back, it’s brought all the bad things forward?” 

Twelve nodded, and Ryan looked confused, “Wait, you’ve got one too? How much did I miss?” 

“No, I did have. The Doctor got rid of it, another long story. But our Doctor put it there, so she must know that it would take another telepath to undo it, right?” asked Yasmin. 

“Exactly. Thing is, they don’t have telepaths on this planet. Whatever they’ve done to her, it goes deeper than a little mind trick and it’s going to be harder to reverse than your memory block, Yaz. My guess is some sort of chip, but she doesn’t appear to have any scarring.” 

Yasmin looked bewildered, “How are we meant to get that out! Brain surgery?” 

Twelve glared at her, “Hush, I wasn’t finished. As I was saying, there’s no scarring. So, I think I know what it is. They’re not using her mind, but someone else’s.” 

“What does that even mean?” asked Ryan. 

“It means, a holographic chip. Illegal on pretty much every planet. They put a chip into the host’s mind and they’re able to control what the victim thinks or sees because it gets projected across. We can’t do anything until we disable the chip, but we don’t even know who’s head it’s in. Once it is disabled, however, I can remind her of everything that’s in our head when the link gets severed and she should be back to normal. Our mind is too vast for them to make any lasting damage,” said Twelve. 

“You sound confident,” mused Yasmin, though hearing it had brought the flicker of hope back. 

“That’s just how I sound. Now we’ve got that out of the way, we need to get rid of those trackers for you.” 

Twelve put a hand on Yasmin’s arms, avoiding the injury on one of them, and spun her around. He held up her hair so he could see the scar on the back of her neck. It looked red and irritated, but he managed to find the faint, flickering red light under the skin. He held the sonic screwdriver over it and held down until the red light stopped. He dropped the masses of her hair and patted her on the head. 

“I also found this on my travels,” said Twelve smugly, taking a piece of white fabric out of his pocket that Yasmin knew was some sort of sling. 

Yasmin wrinkled her nose, “Do you expect me to wear that? It’s not very practical, is it?” 

Twelve tutted, “There’s no pleasing you. The healer might’ve been able to stop the infection, but that was days ago. We didn’t even fix it up back on the TARDIS, so God knows how bad it is now. A sling will stabilise your shoulder and stop the wound from getting bigger.” 

Twelve’s words made her arm sting and she held back her wince. He saw it anyway and unravelled the material, helping her to get it over her head. Yasmin had to admit, having the arm sit comfortably against her stomach did ease the pain and she avoided the ‘I told you so’ expression on his face.

“See? Easy. Now for the hard part,” said Twelve, and Yasmin could’ve sworn she saw him gulp. 

“Be careful,” warned Yasmin when she saw him heading towards Thirteen. She had grown even quieter than she had been in the van, and Yasmin could see her mind racing. She was the most surprised to find Ryan alive, and it meant everything she blamed herself for was a lie. Maybe Yasmin had been wrong. Maybe she wasn’t the one who was going to fix the Doctor. 

Ryan walked closer to Yasmin and, as the pair watched the two Doctors interact, put a hand gently on her arm. They had both been through a lot and even the joy of their reunion couldn’t make them forget how much danger they were still in. None of them were safe, not even with Batilde dead. Yasmin had avoided being a part of the war, for now, but she still had to stop it from happening. Still, the soothing motion of Ryan’s thumb reminded her that he was there. And more importantly, that he was alive. She rested her head on his shoulder, partly because she was exhausted and partly because she wanted to hide from the scene that was unfolding in front of them. 

“I aged terribly,” commented Twelve, taking in her dishevelled appearance as Thirteen looked up at him for the first time. She didn’t respond. 

“I’m going to remove your tracker now, yeah? They won’t be able to find us or hurt us.” Explained Twelve gently to his future self, keeping a safe distance. If anyone knew what she was capable of, contemplated Yasmin, it would be him. 

“Why would I want that?” asked Thirteen quietly, like she was testing out her voice. 

Twelve took a step forward, “Because we’re the ones who will keep you safe. They messed with your head and told you Ryan was dead. You can’t leave these kids behind, Doc, look at them. They’re here because of you, like it or not.” 

Yasmin noticed Thirteen’s subtle glance to her, which then lingered on Ryan. 

Twelve spoke up again, “I know you’re angry and confused, but we need you. Right now, the entire government is looking for us all. Whoever is in control of you has other things to deal with. Take advantage of that; remind yourself who your enemies are.” 

Thirteen responded simply, “I don’t trust you.” 

However, she let her guard down and visibly relaxed. Her eyes fell on Twelve in a way that showed she didn’t trust him, even like him, but she wasn’t going to hurt him. Twelve knew, obviously, and did the same to her as he did Yasmin. Both Yasmin and Ryan were wondering what would happen if they touched each other, expecting some dramatic explosion, but there was nothing. Twelve lifted up Thirteen’s blonde hair and Yasmin watched as she flinched. With a lump in her throat, Yasmin realised she hadn’t had any affection since being brought here. She probably couldn’t even reach any memories of it happening at all, anyway. 

The same red, blinking light stopped flashing under Thirteen’s pale skin, disappearing under her messy hair. Thirteen placed a shaky hand to the back of her neck, feeling for the swollen lump that indicated that they were being followed. They were deactivated now, but Thirteen seemed just as on edge. 

“So,” asked Ryan now everyone was free, “what are we meant to do now?” 

Yasmin looked at him playfully, “What, didn’t think that far ahead?” 

“No, all I could think about was you,” said Ryan, blowing Yasmin a sarcastic kiss. Yasmin laughed, and with her hoarse voice realised it was the first time in a long time. She had missed it more than she realised. 

“No wonder I go crazy,” grumbled Twelve, “why do I travel with kids? Anyway, what we’re going to do is get this lot safely to your Doctor’s TARDIS. She knows where it is. Then we go get Grandad, send you lot and the Solitudins somewhere safe, and then I will find the control host who's got a hold of future me.”

Ryan frowned, having grown attached to the victims of the planet's government, “If you send us away, then they’ll still be a war! We have to stop them. I'm not leaving them all to fight for themselves.” 

But Yasmin looked at Twelve, and he looked at her. She knew already what he was thinking. By becoming a part of their adventure, and by saving her, it would be impossible for him to prevent it from happening. He was destined to go through the same thing once he has regenerated. Twelve couldn’t prevent the war; Thirteen had to. 

“Whatever happens it won’t be up to you lot, you need to stay safe. The TARDIS is the best place for you,” shrugged Twelve. 

One of the Solitudins stepped forward, breaking the low murmurs that had been coming from the group, “We need to hurry, they’ll be sending other trucks and vans along the path soon. We won’t be able to fight against them all.” 

Twelve pointed dramatically to the Solitudin, “He makes a very good point. Doctor, where are we going?” 

Thirteen, knowing she would only stand a chance allying with the group, pointed numbly to the North. Twelve began to follow her weak directions and Yasmin instinctively fell by his side. He gently raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing. Ryan and Thirteen fell among the hoard of Solitudins. Ryan was talking to some of them, ones he must’ve grown close with, while Thirteen ignored the questions that came from others. They were excited to have liberated her, but they would be naïve if they thought she wasn’t still a threat. Yasmin stepped in a rhythm with Twelve but felt Thirteen’s eyes burning the back of her head. 

Twelve put his screwdriver back in his pocket but handed Yasmin the torch that was in his other hand. She took it from him, lighting up the sandy path ahead of her as he rolled his eyes. 

“Stop swinging that about like you’re in a Scooby Doo episode,” he sighed. 

“You and me again, then?” asked Yasmin as she draped Twelve’s coat, with great difficulty, over her shoulders as she prepared for the suns that weren’t too far away. 

“Don’t get used to it, Pudding Brain,” said Twelve, but even in the dim light Yasmin could see his smile.


	18. Bigger on the Inside

Yasmin was yet to experience any weather on the planet that wasn’t just ‘roasting hot’, but the expression on Twelve’s face could only be described as a poorly-concealed thunderstorm. There was lightning in his eyes, too, she noticed that threatened the calm of murky blue irises. He was definitely mad, she knew that for sure, as he tapped his foot impatiently and waited for Thirteen to speak up. He had been waiting for her to for at least ten minutes, Yasmin had counted, but they were getting no-where. 

“Which way is it?” asked Twelve, his patience thinner than Yasmin had ever seen before. It resembled an exhausted father talking to a stubborn toddler, she thought. 

“If you’re me,” said Thirteen as she folded her arms, “shouldn’t you know?” 

Twelve practically growled, “Don’t play dumb. You and I both know that isn’t how this works. Now, either you tell me where the TARDIS is or I’ll find it myself and bury you in the desert.” 

“Easy,” warned Yasmin, knowing Twelve would only have to push his future self so far before she snapped. 

Thirteen just looked at Twelve, her eyes red from the sand, as she drew her lips into a fine, straight line. Eventually, she gave in and gestured ahead, suggesting that the TARDIS wasn’t too far away. Twelve didn’t thank her; but instead started heading in the right direction with both Ryan and Yasmin at his heels. Thirteen was only prompted forward by the Solitudins behind them. 

Yasmin stepped closer to Twelve, almost so that their arms brushed together. Half of her wasn’t liking the bond he had begun to form with Ryan, but she also liked the way it made Thirteen look at her. It pained Yasmin that her own Doctor barely spared her a glance since their reunion, even though she knew the Time Lord wasn’t herself. It might’ve been childish, but the spark of annoyance, or potential jealousy, that formed in Thirteen’s eyes was a welcome change from the pain in them before. 

Twelve turned to Yasmin, the slightest smile on his face, “How many Doctors does it take to change a lightbulb?” 

Yasmin looked up at the jarring dark sky as her eyes rolled in exasperation, even the brightness of the moons being enough to make her tired eyes sting. 

Ryan grinned, “Two Doctors walk into a bar…” 

Twelve laughed, patting him on the shoulder, but Yasmin frowned, “You geniuses don’t even have one punchline between you.” 

Twelve’s hands went out to Yasmin with dramatic flair, “My life is the punchline,” which left Ryan in hysterics. 

Yasmin dropped back to allow the men their fun and found Thirteen had gotten closer. She almost flinched when Thirteen began to walk beside her but decided to stare coolly out into the desert in front of them so that she didn’t spook the Time Lord. Thirteen walked nervously like she was being overwhelmed by every sound of movement, chatter or laughter. Yasmin suspected Thirteen had grown scared of noise, considering how it had only ever brought death or torture to her on this planet. She tried to put her friend at ease with light footsteps, walking so the banter from in front was less audible. 

“We were like that,” said Yasmin, her foot dragging in the sand.

“When you’re dead, he’ll wonder why he bothered,” shrugged Thirteen. 

Yasmin was shocked that she received a response, so she continued, “That’s what he said to me when we first met, when he lost someone he loved. But then he moved on, and one day he’ll find us.” 

“And then he’ll have to live with the fact that he couldn’t save his friends from himself.” 

“He’ll save us, and we’ll save you,” promised Yasmin. 

Thirteen’s eyes fell onto the sandy ground, “It doesn’t work like that.” 

“Maybe not with Clara-”

Suddenly, Yasmin felt sick as Thirteen stopped walking forward and spun around. The Solitudins, too concerned by their own survival to notice and the boys too wrapped up in their jokes to pay attention to their surroundings meant that it was only Yasmin’s scream of anguish that alerted them. 

Yasmin found Thirteen’s small, yet surprisingly strong hand wrapping around her neck, digging untrimmed nails into her skin. It took a long, shocked second for Yasmin to understand what was happening and eventually her eyes widened in horror. Thirteen’s tight grasp fixed around her throat and Yasmin found her feet were lifted ever so slightly from the dusty ground. She kicked her feet, trying to free herself, but was unable to do anything except stare into Thirteen. 

Twelve rushed over, an incredible force of speed even as the heavy sand slowed him down, and he stopped in front of the pair with his arms raised in defence. Thirteen wasn’t putting pressure on Yasmin, but her grasp was still strong enough for Yasmin to miss a few breaths and have to struggle for them with suffocating gasps. Twelve’s arm flew back to stop Ryan, who looked worryingly close to attacking his Doctor. 

“Put her down.” Boomed Twelve, his voice holding enough power that the Solitudins stopped their whisperings.  


Thirteen ignored her former self; instead turning attention onto Yasmin. She looked more stressed now and the feeling of being crushed under the Time Lord would’ve made her hyperventilate if she had any breath left. Twelve looked to Yasmin, silently asking if she was okay, but all she could offer him was a sharp breath as Thirteen’s grip loosened again. Yasmin grew more panicked, though, when Thirteen pressed closer to her companion, close enough to make her shiver. Their cheeks brushed and Yasmin could feel Thirteen’s breath on her neck. It put her at a very unfair disadvantage, she decided, when she melted under the touch. The feeling of thrill shifted when Thirteen spoke. 

“I killed her,” Thirteen whispered in her ear, “and I’ll kill you too.” 

Thirteen’s words were spat like venom and Yasmin could feel the way her mouth moved to form them. Everything moved in wicked slow motion, as if it was only the two of them there. Yasmin could sort of hear Twelve’s voice, a militant negotiation for her safety, but she knew Thirteen’s attention was only on her. 

“They did things to you, we know that, and they’ve changed you. But we can get you back, Doctor. We can remind you of who you are. You aren’t a murderer, or part of their war, you’re our friend. Just let us help you, and then you’ll see,” said Yasmin. 

Yasmin had a word dancing on the tip of her tongue, ready like a weapon. The mention of Clara had done nothing to bring them closer, but Yasmin wondered if she’d be able to use the guilt to her advantage. It was mean, maybe, but she decided that, considering her friends’ hand was wrapped around her neck, there was only so much she could do. She moved closer, almost so their noses were touching. Yasmin’s strained face was reflected in Thirteen’s curious eyes. 

“Mercy.” 

Yasmin finally realised what the word meant. It wasn’t just a reminder of the former companion or of her death that followed. With their heads once connected, Yasmin had been able to piece the truth together. ‘Mercy’, to the Doctor, was the one thing that separated them from the monsters and aliens around them. 

As expected, Thirteen allowed her pale, damaged hand to drop from Yasmin’s throat and release her into the sand. The grip hadn’t been too tight, it was definitely more of a warning, but Yasmin had still not been able to breath properly as the pressure was placed on her windpipe. She had stumbled slightly with only one arm available for balance but had a soft landing. She sat cross-legged in the sand for a moment, catching her breath. Twelve rushed over, two fingers placed against her neck, sitting down next to her in a position that mimicked her own. 

“Are you okay?” 

She nodded. 

With that, Twelve twisted around and pointed an aggressive finger towards Ryan, “You, gather some of the Solitudins and find something to tie her up with. I don’t want her able to move a single finger.” 

“But Twelve-” Ryan began to argue. 

Twelve put up one finger to silence him, “I know what you’re going to say, so don’t bother. It’s not her…she didn’t mean to…blah, blah, bah. I thought we’d moved past this but apparently, we’re going around in circles. Until we can break the signal, this is her, and she’s dangerous. So, for God’s sake just do as I say for once.” 

Ryan, reluctantly, stepped away with the Solitudins he had befriended and asked around for supplies. They all seemed afraid of Thirteen now, after seeing her act as she did in their stories, so it was up to Ryan to retrieve the rope and tie it around her. He went to do so but Twelve stepped ahead, taking the material from him. Ryan watched as Twelve wrapped lengths of rope around Thirteen’s wrists. To his credit, he did so gently enough that it didn’t upset the wounds she already had on them. She didn’t break eye contact; hazel battling against cool blue. 

“I’d say this is for your own good,” said Twelve, “but it’s actually for ours.” 

Then he looked at Ryan, “Lead her by the rope. If she tries to talk to you, hand her to me.” 

Ryan took the rope and laughed nervously, “Yes, Sir.” But he wasn’t granted a laugh back. 

They walked a little bit further, this time with Yasmin walking alone as she was still recovering from Thirteen’s actions. She watched her friends walk ahead of her, lost in thought until a small Solitudin walked shyly beside her. 

“Hi,” it said. 

“Hey,” replied Yasmin. 

“I’m sorry to disturb you, I was just wondering…are you the Yaz from Ryan’s stories?” 

“Yeah, that’s the one.” 

“He told us all about your lives. He told us you enforced the law on your planet. You kept everyone at peace.” 

Yasmin held back a snort. She shouldn’t have been surprised that Ryan would make them seem like Gods. She wondered what he had told them about him. Was he a protector of Earth, weapon’s master? 

The Solitudin interpreted Yasmin’s silence for thought and continued, “Why would someone who brought peace to her planet come to one where all she could bring is war?” 

Yasmin let out a sigh, “Maybe, instead of our revenge being fighting a war with your planet, it could be saving you from the Circle. I don’t know, help you stage a revolution, inspire some democracy! Wouldn’t that be way better than just war after war?” 

The Solitudin narrowed its eyes, “I’m all for democracy, Ryan told us all about it, but what makes you four any different from the humans who’ve come here before and taken advantage of us?” 

That was a tough question, Yasmin thought, “Well…this isn’t the first planet I’ve seen. The universe is so much bigger than just Earth and Solitudinem! There are planets who share industries, even share leaders. Your world could be so much better if you learn how to live together and not against each other.” 

The Solitudin laughed, “Says the human whose planet has three famous world wars, one which raged on our planet too.” 

Yasmin huffed, “Yeah, well, I never said we were perfect.” 

“I didn’t mean to offend you. Do you think, if we learn about peace, then your planet would do the same?” asked the Solitudin. 

Yasmin nodded genuinely, “I think it would be a start.” 

The two strangers looked at each other for a moment, both their eyes shining with the hope of their planet’s future. Maybe planets inhabited by humans couldn’t be saved, Yasmin often thought they were too selfish for that, but the Doctor had dedicated their lives to saving them, so maybe they saw something Yasmin didn’t. Maybe redemption was what they needed to be great. 

“Oi, Yaz!” came Ryan’s shout from ahead. She waved at him to show that she was listening. 

“Bring the others up here, you’ll never guess what we’ve found.” 

Yasmin exchanged a glance with the Solitudin beside her, and then it ran back to guide its friends over to where Ryan, Thirteen and Twelve stood. Yasmin jogged over, seeing that they were standing on some sort of sand dune, and looked down to where their eyes were focused. 

“Found her,” Ryan commented fondly, shielding his eyes with one hand. Yasmin peered over his shoulder, noticing the deep-blue ship in amongst newly gathered sand dunes. She was like seeing an oasis after days in the desert, something Yasmin was quite familiar with. 

“Finally,” breathed Yasmin, but she hesitated when she saw the darkening expression on Thirteen’s face. Yasmin struggled to forget the fact that it was Thirteen’s mission to find her TARDIS. That was what the Circle wanted. She strayed from her position beside Twelve in hopes of keeping a closer eye on her own Doctor. Twelve noticed, of course, and his expression told her that she wasn’t being too cautious. He looked even more worried than she did. 

“Well, who parked that then? Well done, idiot,” said Twelve, seeing how the sand had been blown against the door in the wind and hidden it. 

Yasmin rolled her eyes, “It was obviously you who parked it.” 

Twelve glared at her, “Bet it was you. We all know you can’t fly.” 

He scampered off excitedly, leaving Yasmin’s counter attack hanging in the air. Yasmin wadded her way through the sand, seeing the granules being kicked up from behind her as the army of Solitudins followed her footsteps. She wasn’t the most excited to see the TARDIS, however, as Twelve sped up when the ship came into view. Yasmin was amused as she watched him race ahead as subtly as possible, trying not to show how much he had missed the ship. By the time Yasmin and Ryan reached the TARDIS, with Thirteen trailing behind, Twelve was already speaking affectionately to the ship. Yasmin realised Twelve was struggling to convince the older TARDIS that it was him and she stifled a laugh. 

“It’s me,” whispered Twelve, his hand trailing the blue panels of the ship. She hummed, loud enough to be heard from the outside, and even Yasmin could hear the disbelief in her tone. 

He rolled his eyes, “Come on, we don’t have time for this. We can worry about the fabric of the universe later. Now open up, you daft old thing.” 

With another shorter hum, which sounded much more like a huff, the TARDIS unlocked herself. Twelve smiled gratefully and patted her door. It took a lot of effort for the TARDIS to push against the sand that had gathered against the door, but she managed it. The door opened, revealing the interior to Twelve as he stepped inside, absent-mindedly holding the door for Ryan. As the others stepped in, he let out a whistle as he did a lap around the control panel. 

“It’s a bit dark, isn’t it?” Twelve frowned, “and I thought I was the broody one.” 

As expected, Thirteen didn’t respond, but Yasmin did notice her bruised hand was placed gently on the control panel, as if she were trying to apologise for nearly betraying her ship. The TARDIS didn’t seem to mind though as she accepted each newcomer through her doors, delighting in the gasps that came from the Solitudins. Yasmin smiled fondly, feeling the smugness coming from her. None of the Solitudins seemed to want to walk into the console room, most likely fearing that it was a trap, but eventually formed small groups inside. They stayed away from the whirring console, which seemed thrilled to be in use again. 

“What is this place?” gasped one of the Solitudins. 

“I told you about the TARDIS, didn’t I?” said Ryan, who seemed to be just as delighted as the ship herself. 

“But it’s…” 

Ryan couldn’t hold back his glee, “Bigger,” 

Yasmin smiled, rolling her eyes, “On,” 

“The inside,” grumbled Twelve, though his gleaming eyes showed he enjoyed it too. 

“Is that why the Circle wanted it?” asked another Solitudin. 

Yasmin nodded, “It’s the ultimate Trojan Horse.” 

She hadn’t noticed that Twelve had left their side until she noticed the happy beeping from the TARDIS. She must know her travellers were all same, or at least would be when they found Graham. She did seem annoyed as Twelve tried out every part of her console, wasting no time trying to figure out the buttons and levers.

“Yaz, come and help me out.” 

“What’s up?” she asked as she skipped up to him. 

“You remember how the sonics could trace the trackers, right? I need you to plug mine into the console and then read out the coordinates. The TARDIS will be able to take us right to Graham, so we can pick him up and take you lot to safety.” 

Yasmin took the sonic as instructed and placed it into the telepathic centre of the console. The screwdriver whirred and lit up, with what looked like a loading screen. While she waited, she turned to Twelve. 

“What if the TARDIS won’t go that far? Can’t imagine she wants to park in the middle of battle,” asked Yasmin. 

“One thing you need to learn Yaz,” said Twelve, “is that wherever the rich are, that’s the safest place to be. Besides, I can’t imagine she’s aged that much; she’ll still do anything to protect you lot.” 

Yasmin smiled, “She makes Graham tea in the morning.” 

Twelve frowned, “She doesn’t do that for me!” 

She laughed, and it echoed around the TARDIS. Once quiet again, Yasmin realised she could hear a hum floating around the room as if the ship was laughing with her. Suddenly, the console room shook and Yasmin had to hold onto the sonic screwdriver with her uninjured hand to steady herself. 

“What was that?” asked Yasmin. 

“It means she’s ready to go,” grinned Twelve before shouting, “I suggest everyone finds something to hold onto!” 

Yasmin had never seen so many people in the TARDIS, but she couldn’t help but laugh as she watched a potential hundred Solitudins grasp onto railings and beams in a desperate attempt to stay upright against the shaking of the ship. She realised, with only one arm in use, that it was going to be much harder for her to not fly across the console room so she braced herself. God, had she missed the sound of the TARDIS. The ‘whoosh’ that led to adventure and thrill, the ringing in her ears as her body adjusted to a new planet and the rush of excitement that filled her. She still felt it now, but the usual thrill-seeking buzz was overthrown by the need to see Graham alive. 

“How is such a sophisticated ship so dangerous?” breathed a Solitudin once the ship had landed. 

Twelve pointed an angry finger, “Oi, I don’t come to your planet and make fun of your transport. This beauty could take you to the other side of the universe in a second, so less of that judgement please.” 

“Besides, it’s the pilot’s fault,” teased Yasmin, grinning at Twelve’s warning point. 

“Anyway,” seethed Twelve, “what’s the plan, then, or would you like to hear mine? Right now, we’re parked inside the sleeping quarters for army recruits and, apparently, Circle workers. It’s probably the one room that isn’t guarded. So, we’re going to search for Graham’s bed and wait it out for him.” 

Yasmin nodded, listening to the murmuring agreement from the others. 

“What happens if you get caught?” asked one of the Solitudins. 

Twelve took the sonic screwdriver away from Yasmin and waved it about like a trophy, “As long as I have this, I’ll be back to you by the hour.” 

Ryan was already standing and waiting by the doors, peering out of the small windows, “Come on, let’s go!” 

Yasmin felt Ryan’s need to reunite with Graham and, for the first time since she’d first seen him earlier that day, remembered that he was still believed to be dead. Graham had no idea that his grandson had come to their rescue and was still grieving. Ryan’s face was desperate, so Yasmin began to jog over towards him to encourage Twelve to follow. Instead, Twelve put a hand just above Yasmin’s chest, stopping her in her tracks until she looked up at him with a frustrated pout. 

“What are you doing?” she asked. 

“You aren’t going anywhere.” 

Yasmin looked at Ryan with disbelief, but his attention was on keeping Thirteen in line so he just shrugged. 

“And why’s that?” 

Twelve’s expression softened, “Look, Yaz, I get that you’re basically a hero now or whatever, but you’re finally safe here. You aren’t going to be much help until you’ve recovered. Let’s be honest; you’re dehydrated, hungry, tired and you’ve got God knows how many substances in your bloodstream. You need to stay here with the Solitudins and Thirteen and wait for us. You get sorted in the Med-Bay and make sure no one makes a mess, we’ll bring Graham back safely.” 

Yasmin huffed, “You’re all in the same state I am!” 

“Incorrect,” piped up Ryan, “we’re all sober and have two working arms, so we’re at an advantage.” 

“The boy’s right; you’re staying here,” confirmed Twelve. 

Realistically, Yasmin knew there was no point fighting because she wouldn’t even believe her own argument. Her body had basically already given up on her and an hour or so of rest was all her mind had been begging for since the last time she’d slept. Her body was tricking her as it had done before; trying to convince her battered mind that being inside the TARDIS meant she could finally rest. She needed it, she knew that. Besides, if she could figure out how to get the TARDIS to fix her up, then she could show them how useful she could be. 

“Fine,” she agreed quietly, “I’ll man the ship.” 

Twelve kissed her on the forehead before dancing over to the doors where Ryan was waiting. 

“Everyone be good for Auntie Yaz,” said Ryan, which earned him a laugh from Twelve as the pair moved like comedic spies towards the slowly opening TARDIS doors. 

“Will they be okay?” asked one of the Solitudins, voicing her own worries. 

“They’ll be fine,” Yasmin responded, but she bit her lip nervously in the process. 

“What about you?” asked the Solitudin she’d been speaking to earlier, “I have some medical experience if you want some help?” 

Yasmin smiled softly but shook her head, “I just need you to watch the Doctor.” 

Twelve had tied Thirteen around one of the pillars in the console room, still treating her gently despite everything. She was perched against it, obviously just as tired as Yasmin was, but wasn’t causing much concern. That’s what worried Yasmin. The Solitudins shared a look but reluctantly agreed to watch over her, all knowing that the Time Lord could overpower them easier if she wanted. It helped Yasmin relax enough for her to follow the white artificial lights towards the Med-Bay. 

Yasmin nearly sobbed with delight when she saw a cup of tea, cool enough to drink, with biscuits waiting for her by the medical bedside. She took them gratefully, mumbling thanks to the TARDIS as she sprayed crumbs everywhere. 

As if she hadn’t been moving herself, Yasmin was lifted onto the medical bed that she was standing next to. Her head fell against the pillow and Yasmin realised she’d forgotten what it was like to sleep on something that wasn’t dirt or rocks. Her eyes were already fluttering closed when her head hit the surface underneath it. 

The ship seemed to whisper in her ear, “Sleep, Yaz, I will heal you,” and Yasmin wasn’t conscious enough to decide if she was hallucinating or not. 

Falling asleep as her body began to rest, Yasmin hadn’t heard any of the action coming from the console room. She couldn’t hear the voices of the Solitudins or the discomfort from Thirteen. On the TARDIS screen, which was now lit up for all of the Solitudins to see, a message was deciphering itself. The Solitudins gathered around, expecting a message from either Ryan or Twelve. Instead, they realised in horror, it was from the TARDIS herself. 

 

‘Solitudinem Virus Detected: Downloading into System: 40% Progress’


	19. In Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Thank you for your continued support :) This is less exciting but I promise it only gets better from here! I can't believe I don't have many chapters of this left, it's been my favourite project. I hope you all keep enjoying it!

_The life around her fell apart like something was unthreading each person with a needle. Yasmin watched helplessly as one person dropped beside her, bleeding profusely from a wound she couldn’t identify. She knew she couldn’t help them, though, she had learned that a long time ago._

_The sound of a gun, or bomb, or something in the distance made her put up her guard again, ringing through her ears like an alarm. She shouldn’t have let it drop in the first place, because even a second’s hesitation could be the end for her. Another person dropped dead behind her, reminding Yasmin that she could be next. All around her was a flurry of blood and smoke, battle cries almost drowning out the sound of the weapons._

_Yasmin was alone. Ryan was gone, Graham was gone…even Twelve had long since perished on the deserts. Thirteen was alive, but she was the reason Yasmin was fighting. Her former best friend had lead the Circle to the revolution, causing a mass slaughter. Even Yasmin’s spirits had broken, and now she fought against everyone who had wanted to help her. She glanced down, seeing her body clean and unbroken as it adorned a pristine military uniform. The badges glimmered in the sunlight, reflecting the sight of horror around her. This was war now, and there wasn’t anything she could do to stop it. Yasmin cried out when a van turned over just in front of her, bursting into flames. Hot ash attacked her face and hot flames licked at her ankles._

_There was a gun in her hand. She hadn’t known how to use one before, not really. Her finger was on the trigger, ready to send another bullet into the battleground. She had done it so many times before. There was so much blood on her hands. Yasmin looked down, now physically seeing sticky, thick blood coating her hands down to her wrists. All she knows now is that the blood isn’t hers, and that’s all that matters._

_Suddenly, she noticed Thirteen, standing in the front lines of the Circle’s army. The Time Lord was the one filling the sand under her feet with rivers of blood. Thirteen noticed Yasmin watching her when she turned around to admire her destruction. She smirked when her companion flinched. Then, she rose her gun so it was level with Yasmin’s head. Yasmin held her breath, silently begging Thirteen to show her some mercy._

_The bullet flew past each Solitudin who was fighting with each other, each confusing tangle of enemies, until it planted itself dead centre of Yasmin’s forehead._

 

When Yasmin woke up, she expected to be thrashing about in a cold sweat, maybe screaming. But her body had enjoyed the rest too much to want to be brought back into consciousness again, so it dragged out the process for as long as possible. Yasmin’s eyes stayed closed even when she began to wake up, fidgeting around as she tried to remember where she was. Eventually, the rapid beating of her heart as she recovered from her nightmare became uncomfortable and she forced her reluctant eyes open.

She found herself immediately searching for the Doctor. On the few occasions she had woken up from a nightmare on the TARDIS, the Doctor had always been waiting awkwardly by her bedside. One nightmare, one of the worse, had been where her teeth had been plucked out one by one by Tzim-Sha. When she had woken up, she had found the Doctor talking to her softly, telling her unconscious self a story to calm her down. Yasmin had kept her eyes closed, listening to the Doctor’s tales and pretending to be asleep even though they both knew she had been awake. Now, she woke up alone with no stories and no comforting weight at the foot of her bed. 

Oh yeah. Yasmin had almost forgotten that her nightmare had been partly true. She wasn’t in the battlefield, but she was resting in the Med-Bay because of the looming war she had dragged herself into. The second thing she noticed, though, was that as stiff as her limps felt, they didn’t hurt anymore. 

Yasmin sat up awkwardly and looked down at her body. She didn’t feel hungry, or tired, or thirsty anymore and the wound under her sling was stitched and healing. Even the hundreds of scratches and cuts on her body had disappeared, leaving only the colourful bruises behind. Her ankle, too, didn’t throb in distant pain anymore. Yasmin lifted her arm from the sling, testing it. It didn’t hurt as much as before, thanks to sped-up healing and a mixture of painkillers that had been fed to her in her sleep. It was still a work in progress, though, because even without the sling it was a mix of scarring and scabbing. Her body still looked broken, and pain still radiated like an ache through her joints, but she was safe now and that was all she needed. 

She looked into the mirror on the wall. Her injuries were healed, but she wished she could say the same about her neck, but it seemed the TARDIS couldn't do much about the bruising. The pain in her windpipe had vanished, but she was still reminded about what the Doctor did to her as she looked at the rainbow of bruising on her skin. Even sleep on the TARDIS couldn’t rid her face of the dark circles and bloodshot eyes or the matted crown of hair that framed her head. The past few days had really taken it out of her. But a comb or even a shower weren’t even close to being on her mind. She had to find out if Graham had returned with Twelve and Ryan. It’s not like she knew how long she’d been asleep for…it could’ve been days. That thought made her chest build with anxiety. 

First, though, she climbed off the bed. Her legs were unstable but she managed to stand without assistance, not that she had any. Yasmin put her hand flat against the wall of the Med-Bay. 

“Thank you, girl, for everything,” she whispered to the TARDIS. She hummed in response. 

She stayed like that for a minute, enjoying the soothing company of the TARDIS. For a while, she could pretend nothing had happened. It was almost easy to tell herself that there wasn’t a war waiting for her outside. Eventually, she gave the wall a final pat before heading towards the door. 

It wasn’t a complicated walk back, but it was made it by Yasmin’s disorientation. The lights above her came in and out of focus and she was left wondering if too much sleep at once had made her giddy. She had clearly gotten used to barely surviving. She waited to hear voices, but even in the echo of the corridors it was silent. It was quite frightening, to be alone in the quiet after hearing so much screaming and shouting. She wished she could find it peaceful, but it just made her want to walk faster. Soon, the bright lights of the corridors lead her to the door of the console room. 

When Yasmin had managed to stumble into the console room, one thing she hadn’t expected to see was an army of Solitudins and her brain-washed best friend standing around the controls of the TARDIS with mixed expressions of fright and confusion. She thought about pinching herself; wondering when her life had turned into this, but the dawning dread told her she wasn’t dreaming. Then, as she approached, everyone turned to look at her.

“Is…everything okay?” asked Yasmin, “Are Ryan and the Doctor not back yet?” 

“Something happened,” spoke up one of the Solitudins after a long silence. 

“What’s going on?” she asked, feeling uncomfortable under their expectant stares. 

“The screen…” said one of the Solitudins, pointing shakily to the screen that was attached to the console in the centre of the room. 

The screen, which usually displayed coordinates or maps, was now black and displaying a warning in white lettering; Solitudinem Virus Detected: Downloading into System: 55% Progress. 

“What is that?” breathed Yasmin as her eyes landed on the warning screen beside her. 

When no one responded, she turned to Thirteen, “You must know what this is. Come on…what does it mean!” 

Thirteen stayed silent, just staring at Yasmin. The younger woman was growing frustrated, wondering if it had been Thirteen herself who caused it, but surveyed the buttons attached to the screen. None of them were labelled, and if they were then it wasn’t in English. She watched the percentage on the screen change, and it caused her heart to beat faster. Were they running out of time? 

“Have you ever seen this before?” Yasmin asked one of the Solitudins who had stepped forward to help. 

He shook his head, “I’m sorry, but no. The Circle is the only place with access to technology powerful enough to affect a ship like this. I know what a Time Lord’s ship can do…and I’m surprised they have the knowledge to hack it.” 

Yasmin’s eyes widened in realisation, “Yeah…they don’t. But the Doctor does, and they have access to her mind. That means…that means they can do anything! We can’t just stand around because we both know they’ll do anything to get in here.” 

“What can we do?” came a shrill voice from the crowd. 

Yasmin took a breath. She ran to the TARDIS doors, peering out from one of the windows. Twelve had managed to park in the sleeping quarters, which was a surprisingly big space, and they were hidden from plain sight around a corner. It meant Yasmin couldn’t see if they were alone or not. She tried to be as quiet as possible when she tugged at the door, but even with her whole body weight against it the door wouldn’t budge. 

“We tried that,” pointed out one of the Solitudins softly. 

“Okay,” breathed Yasmin as she launched into a ramble, “we definitely can’t get out then. And she won’t let us fly her either, not that I would’ve been any good at it. Has anyone got any bright ideas because I’m starting to panic a little bit now.” 

A ringing drew the attention of everyone in the console room as each of them wondered where the noise was coming from. The sound made Yasmin flinch, worried that the countdown had sped up or something, but discovered that the screen hadn’t changed. It took Yasmin a moment of searching, but eventually she found a phone attached to the console, hidden away beneath various wires and buttons. She paused as she wondered if she should answer it, but in the end, curiosity got the better of her and she put the phone to her ear. 

“Hello?” she asked tentatively. 

“Oi, Yaz, it’s me,” came Twelve’s frantic Scottish accent. 

“Is everything okay?” she asked, relieved to hear a familiar face on the other end of the line. 

“Yes, we just-”

Yasmin interrupted him and furrowed her eyebrows, “Wait, how come you can talk to us? Did you know this was going to happen?” 

“Know what was going to happen? Ryan’s just an absolute genius and decided to bring a mobile phone,” grinned Twelve. 

Yasmin rolled her eyes, “I wouldn’t go that far…” 

“I’m sure you would’ve thought about it too. Anyway, Yaz, that’s not important right now! We got locked out of the TARDIS connection…good job I installed my own phone from your undeveloped planet, no way they could hack something this simple. Anyway, tell us what’s going on.” 

Yasmin glanced nervously at the screen, “It says a Solitudinem virus has been detected and it’s downloading into System…and it’s at 60% Progress. Are-are we in any danger Doctor?” 

“Right, good news and bad news. Good news first; the TARDIS is way more advanced then these Solitudins think. Even with Thirteen’s full knowledge of the ship they won’t be able to do much damage,” said Twelve. 

“Okay,” breathed Yasmin, “so what’s the bad news?” 

“Bad news; there’s only so much the TARDIS can do to protect herself and keep you safe, which is her priority right now. So, she’s on lockdown. Which means we can’t get in, you can’t get out, and she definitely can’t fly anywhere.” 

Yasmin paled, “Okay…okay. That means you’re stuck in the Circle. With people who want to kill you. Did you at least find Graham?” 

“We have Graham…luckily they trusted him enough to send him alone. We’re outside the TARDIS, but she won’t let us in. Turns out, though, seeing your grandson come back from the dead was more of a big deal than we thought. He’s processing, they both are. Which means it’s up to you and me to solve this.” 

“You sound like you have a plan,” Yasmin observed nervously. 

There was a long, hesitant pause, one that Yasmin never associated with the confident Time Lord. It scared her as she waited for a response, almost able to hear him trying to find the right words. Eventually, after hearing him clear his throat, he began to talk again. 

“I do, but you’re not going to like it,” said Twelve. 

Yasmin was growing irritated, “Just tell me!” 

“Alright! There’s no way we can just move the TARDIS off the planet, because even if we do we haven’t helped the Solitudins. But we also can’t stop a war. What we can do…is take away their reason for fighting,” explained Twelve.

Yasmin frowned, “I don’t get it.” 

“Of course you don’t. What we can do, while we’re in the Circle, is find the holographic chip that’s controlling Thirteen. But what if we don’t disable it and we enhance the connection instead? As long as I can get to the source of the chip, I can swap the connection from Thirteen’s brain to the TARDIS mainframe, and she can project the energy waves across the whole planet.” 

“And then what?”

“Then, we wipe the planet’s memory of humans until they become a story. They’ll have no reason to try and find Earth, because they won’t even know it’s real. Since we’ll have full control of what they think, we can plant a bit of democracy there too…if we’re feeling nice. We can finally bring them peace without the war,” Yasmin could feel Twelve’s excitement through the phone, but she herself wasn’t feeling relieved. 

She turned to look at Thirteen behind her. The Time Lord’s eyes were blank, and they were staring at the loading screen on the TARDIS, the one that told them a threat was imminent. Yasmin couldn’t help but feel a crazy sadness, even when the sight of Thirteen flared up pain in her bruising neck. Her Doctor was a prisoner, more so than all of them, and Yasmin struggled to remember that. Now, however, knowing that Thirteen’s safety was in question, she felt nothing but sorry, and guilt, for her friend. How could she have let this happen? 

“You sounded worried before. It’s because this is going to hurt Thirteen, isn’t it?” she asked bitterly. 

“It could,” Twelve answered softly, “we know it’s possible…but we still have to intercept a connection that’s been formed in her mind. It’s physical, and it’s going to be hard to take it away. There’s no way of knowing if she’s going to come out unscathed or not.” 

Yasmin folded her arms across her chest, even if Twelve couldn’t see it, “Then no, we’re not doing it.” 

“We don’t have a choice!” answered Twelve, his voice stern. 

Yasmin was yelling now, “And what happens to you if she dies? Have you not thought about that?” 

“Wouldn’t be the worst thing that’s ever happened to the universe.” 

“Shut up,” said Yasmin bitterly. 

“Stop kidding yourself, Yaz.” 

Yasmin flushed with anger, “Okay, so you don’t care about yourself. But what happens to us? Your companions, your family?” 

“The TARDIS will get you to Earth safely. Do you really think your adventures through time and space are more valuable than a whole planet’s survival?” asked Twelve. 

“You know that’s not what I meant,” said Yasmin, her voice growing quieter. 

“Look,” said Twelve, changing his angry tone to a softer one, “we don’t have a choice. It’s not like we’re sacrificing Thirteen, is it? There’s still a high chance she’ll be absolutely fine. But if we don’t do this…it won’t just be her who dies, it’ll be everyone. And I know for a fact you aren’t that selfish.” 

Yasmin closed her eyes, mostly so she could pretend Thirteen wasn’t behind her, “I can’t lose her…you.” 

“Let’s try and save her then, huh?” asked Twelve, leaving the revelation hanging in the air. 

“What do I need to do, then?” asked Yasmin eventually, now conscious that everyone’s eyes were on her. 

“You’re going to need to disable the safety features on the main controls. She’ll let you access her controls because it’s you, but the second she senses Solitudin technology, or viruses for that matter, she’ll shut down, so you need to act fast. I’ll talk you through it, don’t worry. Then you need to get Thirteen into the telepathy circuit…Ryan said you remember how to do that, right? Just like when we went to visit your grandmother. Remind me to tell your Doctor how much of an idiot she was for letting you do that, by the way.” 

The thought of Yasmin having to untie Thirteen and put her dangerous hands into the TARDIS’s circuit made her nervous and her stomach churned at the thought of the interaction. She supposed she had the easiest job, though. It wasn’t like she was running around the Circle again, trying to intercept a transmission that was literally coming from someone’s brain. She hadn’t realised how worried she’d been for Ryan and Twelve until now. 

“Okay,” breathed Yasmin, “call us back when you find the chip. I’ll see what I can do about Thirteen.” 

“Thank you,” said Twelve, seemingly relieved that Yasmin agreed to the plan. 

“Good luck,” was the last thing Yasmin said as Twelve hung up the phone and she numbly placed it back where she’d found it. Then, she turned around and found so many pairs of wide eyes looking at her and at the screen displaying the virus. She noticed that even Thirteen was looking at her, concerned about her involvement in the conversation. 

Yasmin took the attention and decided it was the only chance she’d have before Thirteen lost focus. She left the safety of the TARDIS and walked towards the pillar where the Time Lord was tied to. Yasmin had noticed that even when the TARDIS was crowded, there was still a distance between the Solitudins and Thirteen. Yasmin pushed past them, letting them watch as she approached Thirteen. 

Thirteen’s head had been tilted down but her eyes were on Yasmin. Her dark eyelashes fluttered against her eyebrows with each careful blink. Her hair fell messily around her face, concealing some of it like a hood. The shadows of the TARDIS framed Thirteen’s face and made her look menacing with unusually sharp features, and Yasmin was already regretting her approach. She looked amused when Yasmin stopped in front of her, like she was enjoying watching her squirm. 

“I need your help,” said Yasmin, making her voice as confident as possible.

Thirteen looked Yasmin up and down, in a way that gave the younger girl goose-bumps. 

“What’s in it for me?” 

Yasmin kept eye contact with Thirteen, a voice in her head telling her that she was tempting a beast into a fight. 

She answered swiftly and sincerely, “You get to come home.”


	20. Forever to a Time Lord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this really took a long time to update didn't it? It was worth it, though, because I passed those exams I told you about! As an apology I wanted to share the playlist I made for inspiration as I write with you guys (honestly no idea if anyone cares but I thought it would be nice!) It's a special one just for this fic. 
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/luciegeorgie/playlist/5NsstCcqH85RyUihR0BbPx?si=veY9Y5ZQR9Wj-EpuHi-CFg
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter :)

“You of all people should know I don’t have a home,” said Thirteen, her head hanging low but her eyes meeting Yasmin’s. 

“You made the universe your home when decided to run around protecting it, remember? You can’t let the Circle destroy everything you care about…because you know they won’t stop by killing Earth.” 

Yasmin reached out, as if she was contemplating untying Thirteen. 

“Don’t get brave,” warned Thirteen. 

“Am I worth the fight?” asked Yasmin, seeing how Thirteen’s eyes were drawn to the patches of Yasmin’s rainbow skin, where each bruise on her body was forming a different shade of purple, blue, green or yellow. Yasmin wondered if Thirteen cared that most of them were created by her hands. 

“How many times do I have to tell you…I don’t care about what happens to you,” said Thirteen, but the snarl in her tone had vanished. 

“Would you rather kill me than help stop the Circle from doing what they did to you to other people?” 

“Why should other people get lucky when I didn’t?” asked Thirteen, her lips pursed in thought as she waited for Yasmin’s answer. 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Yasmin pointed out softly. 

“If you’re asking what I value more; you or my freedom, don’t flatter yourself.” 

“But you would help us stop the Circle if it would mean you’re safe?” asked Yasmin. She noticed that Thirteen didn’t have a response, leaving Yasmin to hope that they would now be able to work together. 

“Please,” said Yasmin, “for now, join us in taking them down.” 

Thirteen didn’t say anything, but she nodded. 

Yasmin could finally breath, as if her body knew how much was riding on the conversation. The Solitudins all around her watched her work from where they stood or sat, none of them brave enough to get close to Thirteen. They seemed to back up even further when Yasmin started to speak with Thirteen; afraid that the taunting could get her hurt. Now, though, they looked content with the fact that some kind of truce had been build up between the two of them. 

“Is there anything we can do?” asked one of the Solitudins who was sitting on the floor by the TARDIS doors, too tired to even really look at Yasmin. She felt guilty that she couldn’t offer all of them a place to rest after she had taken the time to heal. 

Yasmin shook her head, “No, we just need to wait for the Doctor, he’ll let us know when we can do our part.” 

“What happens…you know, if we don’t get a phone call back?” asked someone nervously. 

It wasn’t as if Yasmin hadn’t thought about it already. One ear had been listening out for the echoing ring of the phone since Twelve had first hung up, and each time it didn’t ring she felt herself wondering what she was meant to do if it never did. Her eyes had fell on the small reminders that she had once lived in the now cold ship with her best friends; a dark blue beanie discarded on a hook, Graham’s glasses case resting on the console after Yasmin had picked it up from the floor and a tub of hairbands and grips that Thirteen once put below the biscuit dispenser for when Yasmin’s hair was destroyed by an adventure. She tried to decide what was worse; never seeing the boys again or watching hatred grow in Thirteen until she’s the only one left in the TARDIS. 

“I don’t know,” Yasmin answered honestly, hoping that her lack of certainty would be enough for them to know how dire the situation would be in that hypothetical. 

“So, we wait,” said the Solitudin from before with an affirmative nod.

“We wait,” sighed Yasmin. 

“Tell us,” the Solitudin pressed on, “the Circle’s stories about the Time Lords are wrong, we know that, so before we forget, tell us what they’re like.” 

Yasmin was slightly taken about, “Oh, sure. They’re these amazing people who look like us but aren’t anything like us. They don’t all save the universe, ours is just pretty special, but they can time travel and they… protect time for us, I guess. Or, well, they used to anyway.” 

“What happened?” 

“What do you think? War happened, and wiped them all out,” said Yasmin, making sure she was being quiet enough that Thirteen wouldn’t hear her. 

“I thought they were supposed to be powerful?” asked the Solitudin. 

Yasmin scoffed, “They destroyed themselves, that’s what Twelve said anyway. They turned the whole planet into a battlefield, just like yours is, until it became a warning to planets nearby about what happens when you let hatred win. He said the damage was so haunting that any planets in a near enough radius haven’t had a single war since. It’s the most peace the universe has ever seen.” 

“Not one?” 

“Even managed some universal trade, too, swapping all kinds of things... and travel. It’s amazing what can happen when violence isn’t an option anymore.”

The Solitudin nodded slowly, “You make it sound so easy.” 

“Maybe it could be,” shrugged Yasmin.

Their conversation was cut short by Thirteen, who coughed pointedly enough to catch their attention. The whole group turned to look at the Time Lord, who’s shadowed eyes were looking at Yasmin with boredom. When Yasmin gave her a tilt of the head; a gesture that asked what Thirteen wanted, the older woman glanced towards the console. 

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” she asked. 

Yasmin frowned. She’d been so engrossed in her conversation and lost in the voices of the many people around her, she hadn’t even heard the shrill ringing of the phone. She gasped; wondering how long it had been ringing for and hoping that she wouldn’t miss it. Yasmin sprang towards the phone, her hands fumbling blindly for it, and eventually secured it to her ear. There were warped voices on the other end, like whoever was on the line was having a conversation amongst themselves. 

“Doctor, is that you?” Yasmin practically shouted down the phone. 

“No, it’s Vodaphone asking if you’d like to update your mobile phone contract,” came Twelve’s Scottish grumble from the other end of the line. 

“Do we really have time for this?” sighed Yasmin. 

“Excuse you, the three of us have been running around like crazy trying to sort this out while you’ve been sitting around. Which reminds me, it’s time for an update. There’s a locked laboratory not far from where we picked up Graham and we managed to trigger an alarm to lure the soldiers away. There’s a Solitudin strapped to a chair in the middle of the room, he looks like he might’ve been one of the leaders once, and he's definitely been experimented on. Some species have a pack of leaders, but always have a weaker one to keep as collateral damage, that’s what I guess this poor chap is,” explained Twelve. 

“He has a hole in his head that’s projecting thoughts, looks like something out of a comic book...but apparently it comes from a satellite game station, which we definitely have to visit by the way,” interrupted Ryan, excited yet disgusted. 

"No you do not," said Twelve. 

“Guys, is there really time for this?” Yasmin heard Graham call out from behind the others. 

“Shush, Graham, we’re telling a story,” said Ryan. 

“Anyway, they strapped him down because threading violence into Thirteen’s mind affected him too. They didn’t want him attacking them, so they tied him up just like they locked up Thirteen. Meant it was really easy for us to knock him out. As long as he stays out of it, we have access to the chip that's being used to brainwash Thirteen, and we don't even have to dig around in his head for it thanks to the sonic. We don’t have long before he wakes up and the soldiers figure out how to open the door behind us, though. So, are you ready to do your part?” asked Twelve. 

“Yeah, ready when you are,” said Yasmin shakily.

“Okay, first step, turn the safety off,” instructed Twelve, “you’ll want to do it manually, since the screen is a bit preoccupied right now. Lift the hatch to the left of the screen and press the big ol’ red button.” 

“Press the red button,” murmured Yasmin, “sounds like a great idea.” 

“Just do it.” 

Yasmin lifted up the hatch, coughing as clouds of dust went up to her nose and mouth. She waved it away with her hand. It gathered around the console room like a veil of smoke, eventually clearing through the vents above. 

The red button glimmered in the light, as if it was definitely something she wasn’t meant to touch. Her mind told her not to, but she trusted the Doctor, so with an inhale she pressed down on it. Nothing happened until Yasmin noticed that the button had remained pressed down, like it was now locked. That made her nervous. 

A voice rang out through the TARDIS, very robotic and routine, announcing; “Safety mode deactivated.” 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked one of the Solitudins. 

“Tell that Pudding Brain if he wants to try and work the TARDIS, he’s welcome to try, but I guarantee he’ll end up being blown up,” said Twelve from the other end of the line. Yasmin decided not to pass on the message. 

“Okay, now what?” asked Yasmin. 

“Now you have to plug Thirteen into the telepathic circuit; and quickly,” explained Twelve. 

It had been a while since Yasmin had spoken to Thirteen. She’d almost forgotten that anything was wrong, in fact, until she turned around and saw that she was tied to the pillars of her own ship. The voice from before reminded Yasmin that the ship was alive, even if she didn’t understand how, and she wondered what the TARDIS would make of all of this. She probably thought they were all screw-ups, and just wanted to get them back to Sheffield. Thirteen had stopped resisting, though, and she’d even stopped scaring the Solitudins with her angry stares. Yasmin decided now would be the best chance she’d get. 

“You need to move faster, Yaz,” warned Twelve. 

“She needs to want to do this,” replied Yasmin. 

“Just…hurry,” said Twelve, exasperated. 

Yasmin ignored Twelve as she turned all of her attention to Thirteen, leaving the phone dangling on its chord so she wouldn’t have to hear Twelve’s protests anymore. His impatience was enough to unsettle her, but she remembered what happened when she’d gotten too comfortable with Thirteen last time. She needed to take her time, or this wouldn’t work. She spared a glance to the screen, though, and noticed the percentage had gone up to 75%. They didn’t have much more time. 

There was a vulnerability in Thirteen that she was trying so hard to take advantage of. In fact, she’d only seen the expression once before, in her own reflection, when she had been practicing a speech for her mother. The coming out speech, to be exact. She’d planned something elaborate, as perfectionists often do, but when the time came and she had finally gotten her mother alone, the words fell out of her mouth like they had accidently knotted in her throat and came out in a tangle. The reason it reminded her of this moment was because when Yasmin had entertained the idea that the people who love her might not anymore. That turned out to be stupid, of course, but Thirteen looked just the same as she did then. She was worried that they wouldn’t be able to come back from this and, truthfully, neither was Yasmin. 

“Can I?” asked Yasmin. 

Thirteen looked surprised. She hadn’t been in control for so long and being asked permission was an alien concept now. Speechless, she nodded, and Yasmin reached for the rope. She could feel the tension in the room and it made her hands shake. She struggled to undo Twelve’s violent knots, which she knew was his plan. He didn’t want anyone messing with Thirteen, and it was hard for Yasmin to justify her own judgement over his. Did she really know her better than the Doctor himself? 

Regardless, feeling a faith that she hadn’t felt before, Yasmin undid the final knot that bound Thirteen and let it drop to the ground. Neither of them did anything for a moment, they just stared at each other completely still. It was like when two lions circled each other, waiting for the other one to pounce. But neither did though and Yasmin didn’t even flinch when Thirteen reached up to rub her sore wrists. 

“Better?” asked Yasmin, so quiet that only the two of them could hear. Thirteen nodded slowly. 

“I need to put you in the TARDIS telepathic circuit. It doesn’t hurt, I promise,” said Yasmin. 

When Yasmin began to walk towards the console, she hadn’t really expected Thirteen to follow her. In fact, she was so tense it was almost her body’s way of preparing her for a fight. Even the Solitudins around her had averted their eyes, not wanting to see the true extent of damage Thirteen was capable of now that she was free. 

To all of their surprise, Thirteen just followed behind Yasmin, her hand grazing over the console as they walked around to the part of the console they needed. It was hidden under a hatch, Yasmin remembered, and when she lifted it up there was a sort of glowing mass. She remembered how it had felt to but her own hands in it; to feel the electric tingle as the TARDIS pushed her way around her memories. It made her shudder. 

Yasmin, very slowly, put her hand down over Thirteen’s, feeling the rough, abused skin under her fingertips. Her hand was much colder to the touch, and Yasmin wasn’t surprised anymore to see Thirteen shivering as much as she did. Comforted by Thirteen’s lack of objection, Yasmin closed her hand around the Time Lord’s, holding onto it. She thought she could hear an intake of breath. 

Very gently, she pushed both of their hands into the ship’s telepathic circuit and begun to use her free hand to plug Thirteen in. She was grateful that it was a painless process, because she didn’t even want to think about what would happen if she hurt Thirteen. The Time Lord put her other hand into the interface and Yasmin secured her into the TARDIS. As if forgetting about everything for just a moment, Yasmin brushed her thumb over Thirteen’s hand in a comforting gesture and was shocked when the woman didn’t recoil. 

It was strange, thought Yasmin, to feel the same electricity you felt when you touched someone who you called your best friend and someone who was like an enemy on the battlefield. It didn’t matter that those two people were one, because Yasmin knew even if they shared a body, they weren’t the same person. But as butterflies swarmed inside her stomach when Yasmin’s hand rested over the hand that had once been around her neck, she wasn’t so sure. 

“I need you to clear your mind,” said Yasmin in a whisper, “there’s a fight going on between you and the Solitudin controlling you…we need to isolate the thoughts that aren’t yours. So, stop fighting back, the TARDIS will protect you.” 

Thirteen closed her eyes, pressing her hands deeper into the telepathic circuitry. Yasmin thought she saw a spark in the wires and flinched as she wondered if it would be painful, but Thirteen didn’t even notice. She was doing what Yasmin said; focusing on which thoughts were her own and Yasmin remembered how uncomfortable it had been trying to work through your own mind. 

“How are you feeling?” asked Yasmin gently. 

“Yaz, it hurts,” breathed Thirteen, her face twisted into a panicked grimace. 

“What did you call me?” 

“Just make it stop,” Thirteen’s whimper had turned into a snarl, and Yasmin worried that whatever Twelve was doing to her might push her over the edge. She was tempted to call out to Twelve, to beg him to just leave her alone, but she found herself paralysed as she watched. 

Yasmin knew Thirteen was in the kind of pain where you weren’t sure if you could stand it. She’d only felt it once before coming to this planet, when she’d dislocated a shoulder during her first, and last, sports game at secondary school. It was the sort of pain where you forget how to act because all you can focus on is somehow getting it to stop, so you lose yourself in the unbearable ache. Yasmin almost felt guilty comparing her childhood injury to…whatever this was. 

With sharp exhales, Yasmin put comforting hands on Thirteen’s shoulder in an attempt to bring her back to reality. Thirteen gulped, a sound that told Yasmin that she was holding back tears, and it unsettled her. Even when Thirteen was herself, she’d never shown emotion like this. Maybe, just as it had with Yasmin, her mind would be broken down and flooded. 

“You’re okay, you’re the Doctor,” Yasmin kept saying in a gentle reassurance, repeating the phrase until she was sure Thirteen had heard it. For the first couple of times, it had just sounded like high pitched ringing to Thirteen, but eventually Yasmin’s voice had broken through. 

“I can’t do it,” said Thirteen with gritted teeth. 

“That feeling, in your head? It means it’s working, so keep going,” pleaded Yasmin. 

Thirteen let out a choked shout, like she didn’t have the energy to scream, and her body slumped against the console. Yasmin darted forward to help her, but Thirteen steadied herself and leaned all of her weight on the console in front of her. By now, blonde hair was sticking to her face with sweat and the electricity from the circuits was reflecting in her pained, but lighter, eyes. 

“Yaz, the screen!” said one of the Solitudins, shouting so he could be heard over the sound of Thirteen’s pain. 

“What’s happening?” asked Yasmin, a horrible feeling in her chest that they now had more to worry about than just keeping Thirteen safe. 

“The virus is reversing…whatever you’re doing, keep doing it,” said the Solitudin. 

Yasmin let out the breath she’d been holding in. 

“Hear that,” Yasmin said to Thirteen with a soft smile, “we’re doing it.” 

“Is the TARDIS working again?” Yasmin wondered aloud. She looked to the screen and noticed that the controls were still locked. They probably couldn’t move until Thirteen was detached from the ship, thought Yasmin, because if she was still thinking like the Circle then God knows where they’d end up. She asked one of the Solitudins to try the door anyway, but they found it still wouldn’t open. It unnerved Yasmin a bit, because she knew that meant the TARDIS still thought there was danger outside. 

A cry from Thirteen drew Yasmin’s attention and she stopped tugging at the door handle to see if she was alright. 

“Get…the Doctor…to stop it,” panted Thirteen, her head turning slowly towards the discarded phone. 

Yasmin made a face, knowing Twelve wouldn’t even listen to her if she’d begged, but she returned to the phone anyway, hoping it would ease Thirteen even a bit. She winced when she realised she could hear Twelve shouting at her through the line, waiting for her to pick up the phone. 

“Doctor-”

“Where the hell have you been? All we could hear was Thirteen’s bloody screaming, thought you’d died or something.” 

“I’m sorry, I had to talk to her alone,” explained Yasmin. 

“Yes, well thank you for the kind head’s up. Now can we finish this thing?” asked Twelve.

Yasmin rolled her eyes in frustration, “It’s working, there’s pieces of Thirteen coming through, but she’s struggling. What’s going on with you?” 

“The sonic is currently working to separate this guy over here and Thirteen. Imagine when your earphones have lots of knots in them and you have to untangle them, it’s sort of like a mental projection of that. When that’s done Thirteen might act a little funny but don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” said Twelve. 

“Is that your expert opinion?” 

“Look, just trust me, because you really need to listen to the next part. Once the sonic has intercepted the transmission, it’ll feed it into the TARDIS. The ship will then be able to send it out across the planet, but obviously that takes a lot of force. That means, when she sends out the transmission, they’ll be a burst of energy and since the TARDIS is locked, it’ll be concentrated there. We don’t know how powerful the blast will be, so you need to get everyone out of the console room. You'll be protected in any other room, she'll make sure of it.” 

“Fine, but I’m staying with Thirteen until she can run too,” said Yasmin, trying not to look as Thirteen writhed beside her. 

“Don’t be stubborn,” sighed Twelve. 

“Honestly,” Yasmin said quietly, “I don’t think she can do it without me.” 

“You know, if I thought you were wrong, I’d force you to leave,” said Twelve, but he didn’t argue any further and Yasmin understood what went unsaid. 

The Solitudins, upon Yasmin’s instructions, left the console room and allowed themselves to be lead somewhere safer by the TARDIS. It was strange for Yasmin to see the TARDIS empty again as the red river of bodies disappeared through the doors. She did feel a strange comfort, though, because it meant for a moment she could forget about how many people she was responsible for keeping safe. For now, it was just her and her Doctor. Yasmin tugged at the cord and balanced the phone on her shoulder so that she could hear Twelve while she comforted Thirteen. She hadn’t been this worried before, because Thirteen had kept cool with the Solitudins in the room. But know they were gone, her noises of anguish grew louder and her feet tapped impatiently like they were desperate to carry her away from the pain. 

Yasmin wondered if maybe she’d been let off easy, her headache seemingly nothing to Thirteen’s migraine. She wished she could do more as she watched Thirteen’s heavy eyes and shaking body; which only let out an occasional groan now. When Yasmin got closer, she noticed a thin stream of blood settled under Thirteen’s nose and she gasped. 

“How much longer, Doctor? It’s like watching her being tortured,” asked Yasmin in a whisper down the phone. 

Even Twelve sounded sympathetic, “Not long, I promise.” 

“I-I need to give up,” said Thirteen with a sorrowful, hoarse voice. 

“Well, you can’t, because it’s you and me forever and after everything you’ve put me through, you owe me forever,” said Yasmin, with a firmness she hadn’t even known she was capable of. But Yasmin meant it; and she’d make sure she had even part of a Time Lord’s forever with Thirteen. 

She just hoped, as Twelve’s booming voice alerted them that they didn’t have much time left, that forever was going to last longer than the explosion that was about to erupt through the time machine.


	21. Electricity and Lightbulbs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, fair to say writing takes a lot longer than I thought it would! But here we go, we've made it past out 20th chapter! I'm so, so grateful for all of you who read and leave me amazing comments (really is the highlight of every post) and I hope you enjoy this one to!

Considering the inhumane lack of sleep Yasmin had been granted for the past few weeks, she found herself waking up in more disorientating positions than ever before. Even when the TARDIS had been hit with a powerful surge of energy, knocking her right off her feet, her last thought before she lost consciousness lingered on where she thought she'd wake up this time, and she had already been anticipating the ache in her joints. The one thing she didn’t miss from normal, mundane sleep, however, was not being woken up by some injury or pain demanding attention. Now, as her eyes snapped open, it wasn’t a physical pain she was waking up to as she had grown accustomed to, but more of a painful seize of fear in her heart. 

Thirteen was leering over her, knees to the ground and hands shaking Yasmin’s shoulders. The Time Lord had a small cut on her temple, nothing to be concerned about, but it left a trail of deep red blood down her cheek to her chin. Thirteen wiped the blood before it trickled down her neck with the back of her hand, leaving a streak across her pale face. There was a purplish bruise forming under the blood too, Yasmin noticed, and suddenly felt really bad about being so relieved to be the one who didn’t get hurt; not even a scratch or bruise. She hated seeing Thirteen hurt, maybe more so than herself, but she knew she couldn’t take another injury. Even now healed, her body was still broken. 

If Thirteen still had the cold look in her eyes, Yasmin would’ve compared the scene unfolding around her to one in a horror film. Maybe even one of the Netflix films that Ryan saved just so he could watch them in secret before he watched them with her and prepare for the jump scares. He was always scared anyway, though. Yasmin wasn’t scared now, for the first time she could remember, because she wasn’t looking into the eyes of Thirteen…she was looking into the eyes of her Doctor. 

Thirteen scratched the back of her neck, leaving blood to crust in her blonde hair, “That was a bit of a wipe out, eh? Are you alright, though?”

Yasmin looked up, her eyes wide. When Thirteen seemed confused by Yasmin’s lack of an answer, she extended a hand to help her upright. She’d mostly been wanting to check Yasmin over for a concussion, since the human hadn’t said a word yet. But Yasmin couldn’t help flinching and pushing herself away from Thirteen, her body subconsciously trying to protect her from any more injury. Yasmin shot upright when she was at a safe distance, just in time to see a look of hurt flash across Thirteen’s face. 

“So, you’re confused too, huh? I woke up, terrible headache, no Ryan or Graham in sight and one hundred unconscious aliens in the library! And the bloody TARDIS won’t let me access any of her data, so I have no idea where they came from,” sighed Thirteen. 

“You have no idea what’s going on, do you?” whispered Yasmin, her tone coming off as almost an accusation. 

“Do you? ‘Cause I’m right confused.” 

Thirteen looked down at her hands and the bruises that snaked down her body. Her smooth white skin was tempered by yellowing bruises and harsh redness, from either blood or scratches; resembling what happens to a canvas after an artist had taken their frustration out on it. 

She spoke up again when Yasmin’s bewildered silence made her feel uneasy, “Where did these come from? Normally, they’d heal up in seconds…unless they’ve been inflicted more than once. Did we get into an accident? I mean, before the one we just had.” 

Yasmin opened her mouth with the full intention of speaking, but her mind refused to let out even a single word. This woman who stood over her now didn’t show a single sign of being the imposter Yasmin had grown used to. She’d forgotten it all. But, how much had she forgotten? If Thirteen’s vast mind had been damaged by the blast, there was no telling what had been lost. Instead of wondering how she was meant to explain herself to Thirteen, she pulled away from her touch. She hadn’t mean to, but when Thirteen’s hand had dropped to her side and lingered on Yasmin’s shoulder, the touch had felt like it burned her. 

With urgency, and a desperate need to bring Thirteen’s attention to something other than herself, Yasmin dragged herself to her feet, “We need to get all the Solitudins out of the TARDIS before they wake up. How are we meant to do that?” 

“Solitudins…never heard of them. But anyway, I’m not sure since she won’t let me move her. Something’s gotten her really stubborn…something I’m missing. I need to remember…” 

“Doctor,” said Yasmin in a frustrated frenzy, “we need to get them out now!” 

Thirteen put her hands up in defence, “Alright! Let’s go and wake them up, then. I know where they’re all hiding.” 

“No, they can’t see me. They definitely can’t see you either.” 

Thirteen shook her head slightly, as if she was trying to shake her scrambled thoughts until they made sense, “Yaz…you need to tell me what’s going on.” 

“Not now…just, help me figure this out,” pleaded Yasmin. 

“Okay, alright. But you need to tell me why we can’t move the TARDIS, first.” 

Yasmin’s eyes widened, “Doctor that’s brilliant! The virus must’ve gone now, so we’ll have access to the controls again. We can open the doors, grab the others, and then dematerialise without the Solitudins! They’ll never even know they were inside the TARDIS.” 

Thirteen looked offended as her face scrunched in confusion, “Oi, what virus? And why wouldn’t the Solitudins know they were here? My ship is pretty hard to forget, isn’t she?” 

They both jumped when the TARDIS hummed gently, like the equivalent of a hoarse human voice. It was the first time Yasmin had heard a noise from the time machine in a long time, especially one that wasn’t a warning or alarm. 

“Now you decide to show up,” grumbled Yasmin. 

“That reminds me,” said Thirteen, scratching the back of her neck, “where are Ryan and Graham? And…where are we?” 

“None, none of that matters now. I’ll explain everything later.” 

“You know I don’t like not knowing, Yaz,” said Thirteen. Her tone was grave; and so eerily familiar to the voice Thirteen had only hours before that it send a horrible chill around her body. Thirteen noticed the fearful shudder and had the same hurt expression as before. 

“Okay,” said Thirteen, giving up whatever control she had been trying to cling to, “how do we contact the others?” 

Yasmin ran towards the phone, which looked slightly charred by the energy that had been sent through the TARDIS. How long had they been knocked down for, and how long had Twelve been waiting for her to pick up the phone? She listened, hearing static, but it seemed to still be connected. 

“Hello? Ryan, Graham, are you there?” she called down the phone. 

Yasmin heard voices but they all sounded like white noise. Thirteen looked as though she wanted to come to Yasmin’s side and listen but she kept her distance. Yasmin felt guilty as she watched her hesitate. Thirteen definitely knew something was wrong but had no idea what. 

“For the love of God,” came Graham’s booming voice, “you have to stop doing that! We were so goddamn worried! Twelve told us there was going to be some surge of energy like an explosion and then the line went dead. Speaking of, your friend nearly killed us all with worry. He’s definitely the Doctor.” 

Yasmin looked up to make sure Thirteen couldn’t hear the mentions of Twelve, “There was a sort of explosion but it seemed like the TARDIS redirected it. Neither of us were hurt…well not badly anyway. Thirteen might need a head check, though.” 

“Did she hit her head? Twelve said that’s what he was worried about,” answered Graham. 

“She did but…you know what? It doesn’t matter, she’s alright.” 

“That’s good, everything went smoothly this end, by the way! The energy was pretty strong, it felt like an earthquake. But we saw the Solitudin who was connected to Thirteen, and he looks extremely confused, like, he can’t remember anything.” 

“Wow, so we really have a clean slate then, huh?” asked Yasmin. 

“Sounds like it,” said Graham, and Yasmin could hear his smile through the phone. 

“Oh, Graham! I called for a reason; you need to make your way back to the TARDIS! You should be able to get in now. Don’t worry about being seen, all of the Solitudins on our end are unconscious so I guess it’ll be the same for the guards.” 

“And then we dematerialise around the Solitudins, leaving them none the wiser?” 

Yasmin frowned, “How’d you guess that?” 

“The Doc already came up with it.” 

Yasmin heard a sarcastic ‘great minds’ from Twelve, but she knew she couldn’t argue back without risking any questions from Thirteen, so she just subconsciously rolled her eyes. 

“Just get back as fast as you can,” said Yasmin, “we can’t afford any of them waking up.” 

Thirteen’s eyes lit up at the chance to be helpful, “I’ll go check on them! You know, make sure none of them are awake.” 

“Thank you,” Yasmin said quietly as she watched Thirteen walk out of the control room, glancing back over her shoulder. 

“Wait, was that…?” asked Graham. 

“Yes,” snapped Yasmin, “now can you please pass the phone onto Twelve. It’s very important.” 

Graham didn’t say anything more, and she didn’t even question her tone, instead Yasmin just heard a rustle and the gruff voice of Twelve. Yasmin couldn’t help the feeling of stress that overpowered her as she tapped her fingers against the console. 

“Glad to hear you’re okay,” said Twelve to interrupt the silence. 

“Thirteen can’t remember anything. I mean…she can but, like, she has no idea that the past two weeks happened. She doesn’t know what a Solitudin is, or why she’s hurt, or why I’m hurt…and I don’t know what to do? Because she’s happy but…it’s all false,” Yasmin blurted out, her voice shaking. 

“It’s probably an effect of the immense energy passing through her head. There’s no telling whether or not it’ll be permanent until I can scan her. She’ll figure out enough when she sees me, though. You’ll only have to fill in the blanks.” 

“What-what if I don’t want to?” asked Yasmin. 

“I guess you don’t have to be the one to do it, but your bedside manners are moderately better than mine,” said Twelve. 

Yasmin squeezed her eyes closed, “No, that’s not what I meant. I meant, what if I don’t want her to know, at all?” 

She heard a snort of disbelief from the other end of the line. 

Yasmin scowled, “What now?” 

Twelve whistled, “Sheesh. I was just wondering if you could see the whole irony of the situation.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Well, Yaz, I remember you getting particularly angry when you found out it was Thirteen who wiped your mind. You didn’t like her withholding information from you, did you? So…why don’t you explain to me how what you’re doing now is any different?” 

“She was sacrificing herself for me…because she didn’t think I cared enough to come back for her. That’s pretty different from me not wanting her to remember weeks of torture she went through,” Yasmin folded her arms across her chest. 

“Is that really your choice to make? Do you not remember how desperate you were to get your own memories back?” asked Twelve, his eyebrows raised in judgement. 

“Look, I get that you think you know Thirteen better than I do but imagine how much this is going to destroy her.” 

“Yaz, let’s be honest. It isn’t just the torture you don’t want her to remember is it? You don’t want her to remember everything she said…and did to you. If her memories don’t destroy her, the thought of hurting you definitely will…” Twelve trailed off in realisation. 

Yasmin nodded numbly, “After us…she won’t ever travel with anyone again. She’ll probably never travel with us again, either. You and I both know giving her memories back isn’t worth that.” 

“Ignorance is bliss to a human,” hummed Twelve, “but not to someone who lives so long they can barely keep a hold of their memories anyway.” 

Twelve stopped Yasmin from speaking when he continued, “I won’t make you tell her, though. Not now, at least. Obviously, the best time to drop that bombshell is definitely not while we’re still on the planet. I know you’re just a kid…fine, young adult, but I trust you to do what’s right.” 

“I’ll do what’s right,” nodded Yasmin, but she didn’t elaborate. 

“We’re on our way back,” said Twelve, his tone pointed. They both knew Yasmin would have some explaining to do when Thirteen met Twelve, and she didn’t have much time to prepare for that. 

“I’ll leave the door unlocked,” said Yasmin, though whatever tone of humour she was trying to portray was hidden by the anxiety in it too. 

She listened to the beeping tone of the phone, indicating that Twelve had hung up on her. Yasmin bit her lip, wondering if Twelve felt betrayed by her decision. She thought back to when she’d first learned, through her time with him, that there was so much about Thirteen that she didn’t know. She’d called the Time Lord a liar, but maybe she just simply didn’t remember any of the details. 

“Are Ryan and Graham coming back?” asked a quiet voice from behind her. Yasmin spun around and saw Thirteen standing awkwardly by the door she’d left through, still not comfortable enough to approach her companion. Instead, she leaned in the doorway like she was a stranger. 

“Uh, yeah. They shouldn’t be much longer,” said Yasmin, not looking Thirteen in the eyes. 

“The Solitudins are still asleep…they shouldn’t be waking up for a while. Whatever the blast was, it definitely knocked it out of them.” 

Yasmin just nodded. 

Thirteen stalked closer to Yasmin, closing the gap between them. Yasmin hated the way her heart lurched, mostly because she couldn’t tell if it was from excitement or terror. She found she couldn’t look directly at Thirteen, even when she had gotten so close that Yasmin could feel her breath on her shaking body. They were almost nose to nose when Yasmin was finally forced to look up, Thirteen’s blonde hair tickling her face. 

“What aren’t you telling me?” asked Thirteen, a challenge in her voice. 

Thirteen, in a gesture that was once so familiar to Yasmin, put one hand down on the console and the other against Yasmin’s cheek. There was a bruise there; a splatter of green and yellow, and Thirteen brushed it gently with her finger. Yasmin found her hand curled around the arm Thirteen had used to touch her face, a silent plea for her to get closer. 

“What did I do to you?” muttered Thirteen. 

Yasmin took it all in. The way her dark eyelashes teased the arch of her eyebrows when she looked down at her companion, the curl of blonde hair under her jaw and the dark roots above that lingered beneath the wisps of gold. Gentle lines in the corners of her hazel eyes showed signs of laughter on the face that hadn’t adorned a smile in long enough to have forgotten it. Yasmin’s eyes flickered to the curves of Thirteen’s upper lip and the way her lower hung open ever so slightly, like she was tasting the air. Yasmin realised she’d been staring, and obviously Thirteen had noticed, because time was still passing, even if it wasn’t to Yasmin. 

Yasmin could feel Thirteen’s skin beneath her fingertips. Thirteen had, at some point, stripped down her uniform which left her in a cuffed shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her upper arms. The fabric was stained in the horrors of the past days, but it was only a reflection of the rest of her body. But as Yasmin’s hand brushed the skin of Thirteen’s arm, who watched her with genuine affection for the first time, the companion stopped thinking about the damage that arm had done. She no longer saw blue veins pop out from pale, violent hands that delighted in wrapping around Yasmin’s neck but instead just longed for it to cup her cheek again. 

Both Thirteen and Yasmin jumped when they heard a voice outside; loud enough to be a threat. It didn’t take long for Yasmin to recognise the gruff voice of Ryan through the TARDIS walls. She hadn’t even noticed that her foot had stepped backwards, followed by the other, creating a space between them. 

“That’ll be…uh…” said Thirteen, her eyebrows furrowed. 

“Ryan, and, and Graham,” finished Yasmin, practically running towards the TARDIS doors. Her heart thumped and she kept her head turned towards the door so Thirteen wouldn’t see the flush of her skin. She was waiting for them to swing open, excited to see them, until she remembered that they wouldn’t be alone. The warm feeling in the pit of her stomach turned sickeningly cold very fast and she whipped around to face Thirteen before the boys could open the door. 

“Listen, Doctor…Ryan and Graham aren’t alone. They have someone with them and, and it’s going to be really hard to explain. But just for now, you have to trust me. Can you please do that?” 

“You know I trust you Yaz.” 

Yasmin sighed, “You have to mean it this time.” 

Thirteen tried to question Yasmin’s words, but whatever voice was in her head told her not to. Instead, she leaned against the TARDIS console, as if for the first time she wasn’t comfortable in her own ship. Yasmin stood just ahead, biting the nails of her fingers as she waited for Thirteen’s reaction. It wasn’t long before the voices outside grew louder, obviously three of them instead of two, and the sound of a hand slapping against the TARDIS’ wooden panels to open the doors could be heard from inside. 

Yasmin found herself cringing as the TARDIS doors flung open; Ryan, Graham and Twelve all out of breath. Graham still looked haunted, Yasmin noticed, but his eyes were still fixed on his grandson as if he thought the boy was a ghost and would eventually fade away. Graham wasted no time in pulling Yasmin into a warm hug, lingering just for a second. She could smell chemicals on him, like the ones you’d wrinkle your nose at in hospitals and wondered what they’d been through. Ryan did the same once Graham had let go; one hand against her back and another splayed across her shoulder protectively. She thought he might’ve pressed a kiss into her hair, but she wasn’t in the mood to tease him about it now. Her own attention, ripped quickly away from the boys, was darting from Twelve and Thirteen. She felt like the oxygen had been pulled from the room as they stood impossibly still, like they were trying to work out which one was the imposter. 

“So, Yaz,” began Twelve, “how many Doctors _does _it take to change a lightbulb?”__

____

____

This time, he earned only a nervous laugh from Ryan.


	22. Tale of Two Doctors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally an update! Also, we only have two chapters left, which is crazy! I hope you enjoy this one!

“Boys!” exclaimed Thirteen, throwing her arms out in a welcoming gesture. Ryan and Graham exchanged glances. Yasmin could see Graham was standing closer to Ryan than ever before, as if scared his grandson would fade into the air if he stepped away. Even so, he let Ryan walk forward and pull Thirteen into a bear hug. Thirteen seemed relieved to see one of her companions was acting the same as usual, but she didn’t notice his grimace over her shoulder. 

“And Graham! Missed you, so glad the gang’s back together,” she said when Ryan pulled away, wrapping the older man into a hug too. 

When the boys took their places beside Yasmin again, Thirteen was able to properly see the third figure. The doors in the TARDIS doors streamed light into their eyes and Twelve looked just like a shadow. His eyes flickered to Yasmin, trying to work out how much she’d told Thirteen, but he knew by the guilt on her face that she was still completely in the dark. Twelve coughed awkwardly when Thirteen started to focus on him. A lot of emotions flashed across Thirteen’s face, Yasmin caught confusion and excitement, which was definitely not reflected on Twelve’s. Yasmin gasped quietly when a hand grabbed her own, dragging her out of her thoughts. She looked down to see Graham offering her a comforting squeeze, which she replied to with a nervous smile. 

The growing grin on Thirteen’s face quickly broke the tension, and Yasmin watched as she bounded over to Twelve. Twelve seemed taken aback by the movement, considering how uncharacteristic it was now, and stiffened when she circled him. 

“This is a nice surprise,” breathed Thirteen. 

She was comically shorter than him and when she stopped in front of Twelve she had to lift up her whole head so she could see him. Thirteen was still grinning like an idiot when she reached up to brush some dirt from his shoulder. Yasmin flinched when Twelve’s hand shot out to grab her wrist. It was definitely strong enough to leave a bruise, and probably would’ve if Thirteen’s wrists weren’t already painted rainbow with them. 

It didn’t faze her though, “Oh, don’t be like that! You were always so grumpy, weren’t you?” 

Yasmin could see how Twelve examined Thirteen as if he were a psychologist and she were his client. He was clearly wondering if her smile was genuine and, after realising her new façade wasn’t a trick, he was left as uneasy as Yasmin had been. 

“I suppose you have some questions?” he asked, as if testing her. 

Thirteen’s face twisted out of its smile, “Oh, yeah. Mostly, where are we, what’s going on, and why are you here? How are you even here? Did you kidnap my fam, is that why they don’t want to tell me anything, why Yaz is so nervous?” 

Oh, thought Yasmin, so she’d noticed. 

“I didn’t do anything to your precious humans,” sighed Twelve, “they’re all completely fine. Even the ones who weren’t completely fine to begin with.” 

Yasmin, Graham and Ryan looked at each other, trying to work out which one Twelve had considered the weakest link. 

“Don’t talk about them like that,” pouted Thirteen. 

“Sorry, I forgot you put them on a pedestal. Your wonderfully unique friends, who happen to be human, were unharmed in the making of this adventure,” said Twelve. 

Thirteen pointed a finger to Twelve’s chest, “Don’t forget that I know you, mate. I was you. Don’t be clever.” 

“If you knew me, you’d know I can’t help being clever.” 

“Alright you two, quit it,” snapped Graham. 

Both of their heads darted towards Graham, with the exact same look of offence. 

“Yeah, Graham’s right, not to be rude or anything but I’d really love to get off this bloody planet,” agreed Ryan. 

Thirteen clapped her hands together, “Of course! Where to next?” 

“Any chance we could stop off at Sheffield? I-I’d love a change of clothes,” said Yasmin softly. Ryan and Graham knew she actually wanted to see her family again. It made sense that Thirteen’s face was disappointed; considering she had no idea how much time has passed. 

“I suppose we all do look a bit grubby,” agreed Thirteen. 

“Oi,” said Twelve, “this is nice and all, but do you think you could drop me off at my TARDIS before I get stuck in Sheffield?” 

“Well, I would, but I don’t know where we are,” answered Thirteen, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“Nice try, but we both know our ships can find each other with just a press of a button. You won’t even need coordinates, since my ship is parked on the same planet.” 

“They’re the same ship,” muttered Thirteen, but she knew she had been beaten. Twelve watched smugly as she pressed a button opposite the console screen. Thirteen had once explained it to Yasmin; that the button was built during a time when Time Lord’s would be able to travel together. She said you’d be able to see a fleet of them in the time vortex, once upon a time. Ryan had been the one to ask why Thirteen had never used it. Now Yasmin knew the truth, she supposed Thirteen only kept it there as a sort of souvenir of hope. This was probably the first time she’d been able to use it. 

She pressed it rather reluctantly, as if she was still reeling from being shown up by Twelve, and it didn’t take long for the TARDIS to whir into action. God, Yasmin had missed it, and judging by the eerily familiar smiles on the two Time Lord’s faces, so had they. The way the TARDIS spluttered and groaned was sort of the equivalent of a person stretching before a sport. Though she imagined transporting two Time Lords and their human friends took up more energy than just going for a jog. 

“She knows to leave the Solitudins behind. Ryan, if you could just pull the lever next to me, then her dimensional field will be lowered and it’ll be possible,” explained Thirteen, but she trailed away when she noticed Twelve had already done it. 

When eyes fell on him he shrugged, “Mine has the same technology, you know.” 

The TARDIS let out a sort of screech, as if she needed oiling, but the lights around the console lit up and she began to search for the other TARDIS’s location. Even Yasmin knew it would be hard for the machine, considering how it technically didn’t exist, but she did it anyway. 

Yasmin, Ryan and Graham all clung onto parts of the TARDIS when she began to dematerialise while the two Doctors just kept their feet rooted to the ground. Neither of them, it seemed, were even slightly fazed by the movement and rumble under them. Even when the TARDIS came back down ungracefully, the Time Lords didn’t even stumble. Part of Yasmin had wanted the ship to just fly off to some exotic, safe planet where they could all rest and pretend this one had never even happened. They could stow Twelve away, besides, two Doctors had to be better than one, right? But they landed once again, back onto the same war-ridden planet. Though Yasmin hoped there would be less war now, if they had done anything right. 

It felt almost surreal for the TARDIS to land, and the feeling that came with it washed over her again. It was almost like the feeling of excitement she used to get and made a welcome chance from the claustrophobic planet she’d almost been on long enough to call home. 

“Is it over?” asked Ryan after he had lost his footing and had to hold onto Thirteen in order to not make the same mistake Yasmin had not so long ago. 

“Yeah, we’ve landed in front of my old ship. Brilliant,” smiled Thirteen. 

“I’ll go and make sure no one’s outside, no one moves until we can be sure,” said Twelve. 

Thirteen’s smile faltered into another look of concern, “Again, with the secrets. Even I’m in on it, but you can’t tell me what’s going on. Why can’t the Solitudins know about us? Did…did you hurt them?” 

Twelve scoffed, “Hardly.” 

Thirteen folded her arms across her chest, “Then what, Doc?” It was definitely a challenge. 

“It doesn’t concern you.” 

“If you,” Thirteen put emphasis on the last word, “have put my friends-my family- in any sort of danger, I won’t hesitate to dump you without your ship.” 

“It’s my fault, okay, not his. So, can we just stop talking about it and help him get home,” said Yasmin, almost harsher than she’d intended. It certainly made Thirteen’s eyes go wide anyway.

Thirteen took her eyes away from Twelve and turned her whole attention to Yasmin, saying, “We’ll talk about it later.” It sounded half-way between a plead and a threat. 

The words hadn’t just stung Yasmin, but they had thickened the already suffocating tension in the room. The boys were all trying to work out what to say, and how to defuse the situation. Yasmin herself was just relieved she still had time to come up with a plan for what she was supposed to tell Thirteen. 

“My ship,” Twelve breathed, a stupid boyish grin on his face, when the screen on the console showed a grainy image of the other TARDIS outside, “looks like the coast is clear too. Hurry up, you lot!” 

Yasmin ignored the feeling of sadness as she chased after him. He seemed so excited to see his version of the TARDIS as if, to him, she was the last of his friends who needed rescuing. Yasmin could see, even from just the blue exterior of the wooden, tattered box, that she was happy to see him to. She stopped in the TARDIS doorway, giving Twelve a moment to take in her appearance. Luckily for him, it seemed his TARDIS had been the only one to have escape the butchering of the Solitudins. 

Yasmin stood and watched him from the doorway. She was going to go with him, but her legs refused to move. She had a feeling her body didn’t want to be back in Twelve’s TARDIS, considering how even looking at it sent a shudder of anxiety through her body. Instead, she just watched Twelve as he greeted his ship, feeling the soothing presence of her friends chattering quietly near the console. The doors swung open and, now free from her previous dehydrated, sun-burnt haze, she could see how different the interior was. 

“Oh, I forgot you left blood in my TARDIS! That’s disgusting, and definitely never coming out,” grumbled Twelve as he stood in the doorway of his ship. 

“You’re telling me your fantastic ship can’t remove a blood stain?” 

Twelve looked up at Yasmin, “Not one that’s been sitting here for, what, a month? I should make you scrub it, really.” 

“I’m your companion, idiot, not your cleaner.” 

The presence of Ryan, Graham and Thirteen behind them brought their conversation to an abrupt, solemn end. Yasmin knew they were ready to say goodbye, even if she wasn’t. 

“I suppose this is it,” said Twelve, giving the ship a pat as he walked away from his TARDIS and heading back to the others. 

Yasmin stepped aside to let Twelve through the doorway and then turned to face the others. Twelve hesitated for a moment, but then he went over to Graham. He shook the man’s hand wordlessly, but there was definitely something unspoken between them. It was a short interaction, but an important one. Then Twelve moved to Ryan; shaking his hand and clapping his free hand on his back. 

“It was nice to meet you, Doc,” said Ryan, “thanks for the save and whatever.” 

Twelve nodded, “Thanks for not dying, I always appreciate that in a human.” 

“And now for you,” said Twelve as he landed on Thirteen, “it’s always a pleasure to see how I end up. Even if I do get considerably less handsome.” 

“That’s what a few billion years does to a person,” grinned Thirteen, touching her barely wrinkled, smooth skin as if to make a point. 

“I look forward to becoming you,” said Twelve, shaking her hand. 

“Anyone else feel like they’re tripping?” mumbled Ryan from beside Yasmin. She found herself nodding. 

“I guess you’ll be going, then,” said Thirteen, toying with the pockets of her trousers. 

“Actually,” asked Twelve, “do you think Yaz and I could have a minute?” 

Thirteen looked taken aback but waved her hand dismissively, “Oh, yeah. Of course.” 

“You can carry this,” said Twelve, throwing his jacket in her arms. She laughed, calling him an idiot as they walked out towards the planet they’d been stuck on. 

As Twelve lead Yasmin out of the TARDIS, she could’ve sworn she heard Graham calling Thirteen daft; saying it was ridiculous to think Yasmin would leave to travel with him. In honesty, she felt terrible that she’d made her friend feel so insecure. But she couldn’t help feel as though everything had changed. Yasmin hadn’t ever really known the Doctor, and it felt like the woman she had woken up to was a stranger. And she didn’t want to feel that way. 

The TARDIS door closed behind them. The pair of them stood close, already sweating in the heat, just enjoying each other’s company for a moment. She hadn’t noticed that he’d been looking at her. 

“There’s something I wanted to say to you, actually,” said Twelve. 

Yasmin looked back at him, “Yeah?” 

“Yeah. I wanted to take back what I said to you. Your Doctor doesn’t see you as something to pass the time, or replaceable…she really cares about you. Be easy with her when she finds out the truth, it’s going to destroy her. She’ll need time, obviously, but then she’ll need you.” 

Yasmin felt the blush on her face, “And the boys, too?” 

“Yeah, obviously,” said Twelve slowly. 

Yasmin, unable to find something else to say, listened to the comfortable silence around her. Her feet began to kick at the sand, sort of her way of getting back at it. She hoped she never had to see it again. 

“You can have that, if you want. I’ll be getting a new one, you know, since you ruined it,” offered Twelve, his head nodding to the jacket in her arms. 

She smiled with a roll of the eyes that had basically become a habit now, folding it and placing it on the ground, “That’s so kind of you.” 

Before he could ask why she’d placed the jacket on the ground, Yasmin sprung up from where she’d crouched to the ground and wrapped Twelve into a hug. She could feel his weary bones under her skin, and when his hand pressed into the small of her back she could feel every joint. She didn’t understand why such an infuriating, skeleton of a man could bring a lump to her throat. Yasmin just clung on tightly, hoping he wouldn’t notice how close to tears she was. Her head found a place in the crook of his neck and by the way he didn’t protest, she knew he was aware of the tears in her eyes. 

“Can I say something now?” asked Yasmin. 

He grumbled, but Yasmin felt him nod into the hug. 

“The girl, the one before me. She was really, really lucky to have you.” 

She heard a sharp intake of breath and Twelve’s body tensed up, but he didn’t respond to her. Yasmin knew he’d heard it, and that was the part that mattered. If she couldn’t get the picture of Clara out of her head, she was sure as hell Twelve couldn’t either. 

He waited for her to pull away and soon enough she did, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand when he looked away. She was sure he still saw, somehow, though. 

“What are you thinking about? You’re too quiet,” he asked. 

“I-I’m just thinking about something you said. You know, you once asked me why you travel with all three of us. And it kept me up at night…until I realised. It’s because you’re the loneliest man in the universe.” 

Twelve avoided Yasmin’s eyes, “You know, I don’t have to be lonely. You could always come with me.” 

Yasmin smiled sadly, “One day I do. It takes a while, because I’m scared, but I do come with you. And we have the best time, and we still are, so many years later. You have that to look forward to. I just have to hope I get to see a little bit of you in Thirteen every now and again.” 

“I suppose you’re right.” 

“But I think there’s a place you need to go first, before you and me. St Luke’s University in Bristol, Earth. Thirteen thinks it’s pretty important.” 

“Great, just when I thought my health couldn’t take any more kids,” grumbled Twelve, but Yasmin could see in his eyes that he was already making a mental note of the coordinates to Earth. 

“You of all people should know you don’t give up on us just yet,” said Yasmin. 

“Unfortunately.” 

For some reason, when Yasmin had pictured saying goodbye to Twelve before, she hadn’t thought it was going to be this awkward. But, she didn’t know how to say it. How do you say goodbye to someone who you were never meant to know? It wasn’t like she was leaving him, because he was her Doctor, just a few years too soon. Her brain flicked through some things to say, some light-hearted joke to ease the mood, but none of them felt right on her tongue. 

Yasmin looked up at him, “You know, I don’t know if I’m ready to say goodbye yet.” 

“Well, neither am I…I don’t do goodbyes. So how about you close your eyes, count to three, and we can both pretend we had a lovely tearful goodbye.” 

“You know, that’s not such a bad idea,” said Yasmin. Then, as he had suggested, she folded her arms and closed her eyes. She counted out loud, moving from each number slowly so he had time to disappear. 

“I’ll miss you,” she said hoarsely, just before she reached ‘one’. He didn’t reply. 

Yasmin eventually reached ‘three’ and she opened her eyes, finding no trace of Twelve when she did so. Her eyes looked at the sand beneath her feet and the rising suns over-head, seeing not a sign of the Time Lord. In fact, even his TARDIS had disappeared without a sound, leaving Yasmin to wonder for a minute if he’d ever even been here. Maybe she’d made him up in a sun-burn induced fever dream. She would’ve believed it if it weren’t for the jacket folded up neatly in the sand, a memento of their time together. She picked it up and draped it over her arm, seeing the dirt, sweat and blood she’d subjected it to. It was underwhelming, she thought, that someone so special could be out of her life in just three seconds, until she reminded herself that he was still here. 

Actually, it was Thirteen coming out of their own TARDIS that reminded her. She hadn’t realised how long she’d been staring at nothing until her own Doctor walked over to her and put a hand tentatively on Yasmin’s shoulder. It made her uncomfortable, but she was too lost in her thoughts to push the Doctor away. Eventually, though, she wiggled out of her touch. 

“Are you okay?” asked the Doctor. 

“I have a question,” began Yasmin, her voice still evidently full of emotion. The Doctor moved so she was standing opposite Yasmin and nodded. 

“Did you know, that day when you crashed through the train, that we were going to travel with you? Is that why you tried so hard to save us?” 

The Doctor looked awkward, and sad, all at the same time, “No, I didn’t. You see Yaz, we really aren’t two different people. It’s just like if you met yourself a few years into your past, or future. Our meeting was sort of like a cross contamination to the universe. Time itself let that happen in order to save us, but it still has to quarantine the damage it did to the linear passing of time. It treats Twelve as that infection, because he crossed over to us. That means…when he crosses back…it’ll be like this time line got erased.”

Yasmin’s face dropped, “So, he won’t remember any of this? Not even when he meets us again?” 

“I’m afraid not. It’s happened before…probably to me as well. This is just the safest way to clean up our messes,” shrugged Thirteen. 

Yasmin’s shoulders slumped, “How will he know where to go?” 

Thirteen smiled, “Well, he’ll have a little voice in his head telling him about a trip to Earth he should make. He’ll feel sad, but he trusts that voice, so he’ll go anyway. There, he’ll meet someone, someone who reminds him of a teenager he can’t quite remember, and he’ll whisk her away.” 

“Then what?” asked Yasmin, perking up.

“Then…he’ll have his heart broken all over again. And it’ll lead him, or more accurately her, all the way to Sheffield. By accident, of course.” 

“That wasn’t the happy story I was hoping for.” 

Thirteen looked at Yasmin, with such a longing glance it made her heart flutter, “It’s got a pretty happy ending, though. Besides, aren’t you lot worth a broken heart? I’ve got two of them, anyway.” 

She didn’t answer Thirteen. The thought of the Doctor having her heart broken, as she thought back to Clara, made her wonder if she was just another part of the game. Maybe humans were like pets to Time Lords, just something to keep them entertained until the cycle started all over again. Yasmin tried to act like the thought didn’t hurt her, but she couldn’t help but notice the way she felt. Even if Yasmin was just a brick in the house of the Doctor’s life, she’d be with the Time Lord for all of her own, and she was pretty sure that was enough for her. The Doctor was looking at Yasmin as if she was expecting her companion to explain her feelings to her, but she couldn’t.

Yasmin had felt it before; not many times, but it definitely wasn’t a stranger to her. Once, as a naïve fourteen year old who was just a little too fond of the girl sitting next to her in chemistry; with perfume that smelled of sweets and pencils with her initials carved into the side. And, again, when the school’s other bisexual had approached her after torrents of bullying had isolated her as ‘one of them’. It hadn’t been all bad, considering she’d gotten her first and only girlfriend out of it, who wore a long black coat and was rumoured to be the first of their year to touch a cigarette, and had nothing left to hide from her peers. While her experience with girls be described as bittersweet, and not necessarily in that order, they’d all come with the same feeling that encapsulated her body. 

Dread; Yasmin supposed it was. She personally thought it was more complicated than that, but it wasn’t like she had the vocabulary to describe it. Maybe another planet did, and she’d have a word for it one day. For now, though, it was the need to distance herself paired with the longing to be close, the too-obvious eye contact and knowing that nothing good can come out of it. Nothing about love was easy for people like Yasmin, and even the tell-tale flutter in her heart sent her body into shut down. 

Maybe she couldn’t translate that to the Doctor with words, so instead she turned on her heels and joined the boys into the time machine, planting a heavy smile on her face when they watched her from the console.

“You miss him,” teased Ryan as she walked in, misinterpreting the falseness on her face. 

The Doctor came in a few moments later, even more falsely composed than Yasmin, and walked over to the console. She placed two hands on the machine, the vibrations of it shaking her hands, and Yasmin could’ve sworn she’d seen the Time Lord take a deep breath. Maybe, she thought, not everything had changed.


	23. Conversations of the Console Room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...so it's fair to say it's been a while. In my defence, I'm now back at Uni and everything has been slightly overwhelming. The good news is, though, I finally finished this chapter and have a massive finale in the works. So don't give up on me just yet

“Please,” begged Yasmin, her hand resting under her chin with an easy smile on her lips. 

The Doctor shook her head, “You don’t want to hear about that old man.” 

Yasmin looked up to where the Doctor leaned against the console in offence, “Of course I do, he’s you!” 

She pretended that she didn’t see the Doctor’s blush. 

“Fine, fine. So, as I explained to you, he doesn’t remember anything that happened to him. He’ll find himself fiddling with the console until, eventually, he finds a thought. It intrigues him because the voice isn’t his, but it’s in his head anyway. That voice is yours, he just doesn’t know it. He’ll put in the coordinates and he’ll end up hiding as a university professor until he can work out why he’s there. He finds a girl who looks just as lost as he feels…so he decides that she’s the one he’s looking for.” 

Yasmin smiles contently, as though she was a child listening to a fairy tale, “So, he was happy?” 

“He was.” 

“I’m glad. You know, he’s a good man. I really think he deserved it.” 

“If he heard you say that, I imagine he would’ve been a lot happier before he even met you,” sighed the Doctor.

When she saw Yasmin’s fond smile, the Doctor pouted. 

Yasmin nudged the Doctor, “You aren’t jealous, are you? If it helps, I think you’re just as good.” 

The Doctor beamed, “You mean it?” 

“Yeah, you’re just the same but, you know, with less wrinkles.” 

“He’d want me to smack you for that,” said the Doctor. 

“Good job you’re as soft on the outside as he is on the inside,” retorted Yasmin. 

“He was a bit of a softie, really.” 

The two of them grinned at each other, like two old friends sharing an inside joke. It was a moment of peace for both of them. They’d been stood like that for most of the morning, just chattering and enjoying each other’s company. Yasmin had almost been able to forget about everything as she listened to the Doctor’s stories; dents forming in her limbs as she leaned for too long against the console. 

Yasmin looked past the Doctor and looked to the windows in the TARDIS door. Sunlight was streaming through the glass, except for the first time it was gentle and pale. It was the sort of sunlight you’d find in winter, when it was still unbelievably cold outside but the sun was still trying to push its way through the clouds. Yasmin was extremely happy that she could be sure she wouldn’t be horribly burned when she stepped out into the Sheffield sun, if you could even call it that. She didn’t want the Doctor to see how excited she was to be home, but on the other hand she didn’t want the time lord to know how much she was stalling to stay. Yasmin was conflicted; she wanted her bed more than anything but she was also finding it hard to tear herself from the Doctor’s attention. 

Graham and Ryan had already left. About half an hour ago. Ryan had wordlessly told Yasmin that he had some things to talk over with Graham. It had been really hard for both of them, and even Yasmin found her mind wondering whether or not Ryan was actually here. The thought would cross her mind that she was still on Solitudinem, mourning the loss of one of her best friends. She had to keep telling herself that wasn’t true. Ryan had cheerfully told the Doctor that he and Graham were going to order some takeaway, a Chinese, probably, and had turned her down when she expressed interest in some spring rolls. 

“Sorry Doc,” he had said, “you need to keep Yaz company. She said she wanted to stay on the TARDIS.” 

The Doctor had seemed confused, maybe even a bit let down, but she was happy enough to be left alone with Yasmin, so she let the boys go without much of a fight. 

How, wondered Yasmin, did they all find it so easy to lie? Was that the Doctor’s doing? 

Of course, she knew Twelve had spoken with the boys. Some part of him hadn’t trusted Yasmin to tell Thirteen the truth. That would’ve hurt her feelings, if she had known he was wrong. But he wasn’t. She didn’t want to ruin the perfect bubble she was in right now as Yasmin and Thirteen stood chatting mindlessly to each other, but she knew she had to. And if Ryan’s meaningful stare as he walked out of the TARDIS doors with Graham was anything to go by, she had to do it now. 

“So,” the Doctor had said eventually, drawing the word out, “how come you wanted to stay behind? I thought you wanted to see your family?” 

Luckily for Yasmin, the Doctor rambled on before she was forced to come up with an excuse; “You know, I forget how often you lot need to visit home. Most species will leave their parents without a second thought, but you like to hold on. Honestly, I don’t remember my parents being that bothered, but that was a very long time ago. Maybe things have changed? It’s been a while since I’ve had children.”

Yasmin glazed over the comment as her heart started to beat faster than unusual. The Doctor was so beautifully oblivious that Yasmin felt a pain in her chest. Once, during sensitivity training as a police officer, Yasmin had to work with a partner and practise the etiquette of telling someone that they’d lost a loved one in some sort of accident. Even though the look of innocence as it transforms into realisation, followed by grief was only ever replicated by whichever actor Yasmin was forced to work with, she knew what the expression looked like. This very, very much felt like that. 

“What’s that on your face? I need a manual for your expressions,” tutted the Doctor.

“Doctor,” said Yasmin, trying harder to hide her sadness, “I, uh, need to talk to you.” 

The Doctor’s neck tilted curiously to one side, “About what?” 

Yasmin took a breath but she didn’t say anything. 

It was the Doctor who spoke up next, “Look…Yaz…if this is about earlier…I feel like I should be the one to apologise.” 

Yasmin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion until she remembered their previous encounter. Could the Doctor have noticed how off she’d been? Maybe the Doctor thought Yasmin didn’t like her anymore, Yasmin had thought with a pain in her chest. The pain was only made worse when she remembered it didn’t even compare with the news she was about to deliver. 

“No, no,” said Yasmin, shaking her head, “it’s not that. Look, this is really hard for me to say…but I need to tell you.”

The Doctor closed her eyes, “Please don’t.” 

Yasmin wondered what the Doctor thought she was trying to say. 

“No, you just have to listen to me okay? You remember that weird spike of energy, the one that knocked us out? Do you-do you find it strange that you can’t remember anything from before then? I mean, not really, because everything is just a little bit blurred?” 

This caught the Doctor’s attention. 

“What do you mean?” asked the Doctor quietly. 

Yasmin’s voice went just as quiet, “You know what I mean. I can see it in your eyes. You’ve been trying to work out what’s wrong with you since we left Solitudinem.” 

The Doctor had a flash of something on her face, and Yasmin thought maybe it was hostility, “We were knocked unconscious. It’s a concussion.” 

“It’s not. Something happened…and I didn’t want you to find out. But it’s not fair that you don’t know. I’ve had my memory wiped and it’s frightening.” 

The Doctor’s eyes went wide, “You had your memory wiped? Are you okay? How did you get your memories back? Wait, did someone wipe mine?” 

Yasmin folded her arms across her chest like she was cold, “That’s what I’m trying to say. The energy surge wasn’t some sort of freak accident. We had to use the TARDIS’s…and your connection to Solitudinem to wipe their minds of humans. In exchange for severing the connection, though, it wiped your memory too. You lost a week, maybe more, of your mind.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened and her hand flew to her head, as if she was trying to protect it. 

“A week?” she murmured, “a week isn’t a long time…but a lot could’ve happened. I guess I should ask you why my memory was wiped.” 

Yasmin had been dreading this question, “Because your mind was sort of…preoccupied. The Solitudins used you like a toy to get what they wanted…a war on Earth. They broke you down until you had no choice but to join them.” 

“I joined them?” 

“No, that-that was a poor choice of words, you were forced to help them. They did things to you, Doctor, they messed with you.” 

The Doctor’s whole demeanour changed. It was like watching a child at Christmas race down the stairs to find no presents under the tree. The lazy, easy-going smile the Time Lord had worn all day quickly fell deep into a frown. Her shoulders slumped, her eyes averted away from Yasmin. Did she see shame there? Yasmin thought so. It took the Doctor several seconds of quiet before she shuffled and finally looked at her companion. 

“They wanted to kill the humans?” she asked. 

Yasmin nodded, “They’d been enemies for years. They knew the only way to win the war was to use Earth’s greatest defence against them. That was always you.” 

“I know this is hard for you Yasmin, but you were right. I need to know what happened to me…and to you.” 

And so, Yasmin told the Doctor everything. She told her about how the Time Lord’s blood had stained the war uniform clinging to her shivering body, the dark look in her eyes that was barely masking the pain in them, the bruises that snaked like vines up her limbs and the absolute, unbearable helplessness Yasmin had felt. She talked about the war, so pointless and cruel, and how she had never been that close to anything like it. When Yasmin looked up, the flashbacks of her Hell clearing from her vision, she noticed the Doctor was giving her a strange look. It wasn’t what she had been expecting…instead, it was almost curious. 

“We knew we’d be able to wipe humans from their memories because they were using a sort of psychic link to control you. If we swapped the link from you to the TARDIS, then we could send out an energy wave. By the end of it, you had forgotten everything along with all of Solitudinem. I was so scared you’d never be the same again,” finished Yasmin. 

Again, the Doctor didn’t say anything. 

“is that it?” asked Yasmin, “After everything I just told you, all you’re going to do is look at me?”

“You understand,” begun the Doctor, her voice a little unsteady, “after everything you told me, that last sentence was the first time you’ve mentioned yourself.” 

Yasmin’s eyebrows furrowed, “Why would I talk about myself? I actually have my memories back.” 

“I asked you what happened to me, but also what happened to you.” 

Oh, yeah. Yasmin hadn’t been able to cover every bruise that marked her body. When the excitement and horror had finally died down, Yasmin had gone to her bedroom on the TARDIS. She’d sat cross-legged in front of a mirror, looking at the body she didn’t recognise as her own. Her dark, tired eyes frightened her the most, especially since they reminded her so much of the Doctor’s expression. Her skin was still raw and red in places too, which the Doctor had definitely noticed. Yasmin’s own eyes were drawn to the Doctor’s injuries like they were screaming out at her. She’d been stupid to think the Time Lord wouldn’t do the same.

“It doesn’t matter what happened to me. I’m here now, aren’t I?” 

The Doctor’s eyebrows quirked, “You could say the same about me, but you still told me everything.” 

“Because you weren’t given the choice. But I choose not to talk about it. Besides, it’s my memories you’re asking for, not yours.” 

“Actually, Yaz, it’s ours. And whether you like it or not, eventually these memories should come back to me. Probably in flash backs, maybe in nightmares. And, to be honest, I’d be a lot less scared if I heard all about it from you first.” 

“You don’t need to do this, Doctor.” 

“You owe me everything,” said the Doctor, her words simple enough to make Yasmin reconsider.

“This is something you don’t need to know,” whispered Yasmin. 

“I thought you were going to let me decide that?” 

“I was.”

The Doctor looked like she was challenging Yasmin, “Then tell me the truth.” 

Yasmin reached for her neck. It was something she wouldn’t let anyone else do, and something she didn’t even really like doing herself. Regardless, she put each hand on the neck of her hoodie and pulled it down to reveal her tanned, bruised throat. It had faded ever so slightly but was still a strange concoction of yellow, purple and blue. Judging by the look on the Doctor’s face, she knew immediately that she was the one who had done the damage. The Doctor’s fingerprints might as well have been imprinted onto the skin. 

The Doctor reached forward and, for the first time, Yasmin found she didn’t flinch. Her heart raced and she could feel sweat forming, but she didn’t pull away from the Doctor’s touch. Still, obviously waited, the Doctor waited until she got confirmation before she let herself touch Yasmin’s neck. Yasmin have a slight nod and the Doctor’s gentle hand brushed over the bruises, barely hard enough for Yasmin to notice. The touch still made Yasmin shiver, but she was more concerned about the look on the Doctor’s face. 

“Why? Why did I do that?” said the Doctor.

“It wasn’t you. None of what happened was you. They-they just made you hate us so much. There was nothing you could’ve done.” 

“There’s always something.” 

Yasmin’s voice hitched in her throat and it felt like a cough she was trying to keep down. She didn’t have the words to do how she was feeling justice. Clearly, the Doctor had felt the same, because she hadn’t offered a single word to Yasmin before standing straight and walking towards the TARDIS corridor that lead to her bedroom. Yasmin thought she heard a lock when the corridor door fell shut behind the Time Lord and knew that was the ship’s way of telling Yasmin not to follow. Whatever the Doctor was going through, she had to do it alone now.

Her eyes fell towards the sunlight in the TARDIS windows. Now, it looked harsher, as if the sun had fully risen and emerged from behind its clouds. It burned her eyes to look at it now, and so she tore her eyes away. Her eyes focused instead on the locked door just feet away from her and the shadow that it cast on the control room.


End file.
